Monday Memories - Harvest Moon 64 (Nintendo 64)

Have you ever wanted to have a farmstead handed down to you by having it inherited at the instance of your grandfathers passing as in accordance to his will? Ever wanted to grow crops and raise farm animals, live the life of a ranching farmer? Ever wanted to get married and have your wife help you with daily chores in the farmstead? Have you ever wanted to make ends meet with dependence on the growth of your crops or produce of your farm animals? This is the life of a great memorable sweet farming simulation game, Harvest Moon 64. It also seems to have influenced a more recently popular game, Farmville.

Where most games usually try to attract gamers with its will to make a more violent video game than the one before, Harvest Moon 64 does a lot to stray from the medium of game development. This game was developed by Victor Interactive and published by Natsume Co. It made quite a huge impression and made a game addict of me. One can conclude to say that the more current and popular game, Farmville, has had a lot of similar features as it was probably influenced from this game’s ideal concepts and plain mechanics. This guilt-free game does seem to have been the first of its kind. No one will need to die at the hands of your mercy, ever. It has been noted that the developers main influence for the games’ unique concept were, in fact, violent video games. Violent video games influenced him to separate from the mean and create something both lasting and unique. He created Harvest Moon. Harvest Moon actually had its first appearance in the SNES, and the two games are quite similar. The N64 version, though, has improved graphics and gameplay. There have been many more iterations of the game after the N64 version made by the same developers, but I feel that many of the other games never quite compared to this classic Nintendo 64 version.

Instead of running around and shooting people or shooting things, you instead run around and maintain a farmstead.  The player will need to water crops evenly and feed farm animals to build an in-game currency to make improvements on the ranch. The game starts you off in a sad notion of your grandfathers passing that will put you in a sympathetic emotion. These emotions are captivated by in-game interactions with other non-playable characters whose dialog you can read as you speak with them. The mayor of the town will inform the playable character that an abandoned and neglected farmstead has been left to him and that it is up to him to manage it. A player begins the game customizing the playable character’s name and by naming the ranch to his. The player will also be given the option to name a pet dog and horse, which will later be acquired in the game through playing.

The farmer begins with bare essentials. A house, shipment box, hay silo, barn, and chicken coop will be provided at the beginning of the game, but the player will not have farm animals until about mid-year. Essential tools are to be found in a shed which will be used to begin farming; the player will find a hoe, axe, sickle, hammer, and a watering can. These tools will eventually be upgraded determined by how many times you use that certain tool. It begins as a plain iron tool, but the more use it, it will continuously upgrade to silver, than lastly, gold. Having gold tools dramatically cuts down the duration of farm maintenance as it will improve the effect. The days are counted within a season, every season has 30 days, and there are only four season. Every season will have specific vegetation, not everything can be grown throughout the year. Grass is the only crop that will grow yearly, to save up hay for the farm animals for the coming seasons. It is the player’s responsibilities to make sure he tills soil, plants seeds, and waters them daily in order for the plants to grow. Once the plants or vegetables are fully grown, you can throw them into the shipment box to make profit. A delivery man will visit daily around noon to pick up any shipment and deliver payment.

When the player finally raises livestock, it will be his responsibility to make sure they are fed regularly. Chickens will need to be fed seeds. It is easy to begin with one chicken and end up with a coop full of chickens. Each chicken will lay an egg, and if left to incubate, it will hatch to a chick, which will then become a chicken to lay more eggs. Eggs are thrown in the shipment box for profit. Sheep eat hay and will grow wool which can be clipped and thrown into the shipment box for profit as well. Cows are the hardest of the animals to maintain, but it’s still relatively simple. Cows will need to be fed hay and brushed daily. The more you brush a cow, the happier it will be. The happier the cow, the better the produce the player can milk from it. Cows will produce from small, medium, large, to golden bottled milk. The milk can be thrown in the shipment box for profit also. Cows will also have the ability to birth calves which will be raised to full grown cows or sold for even more profit.

The player will also be required to meet non-playable characters as well as maintain a relationship with the young ladies of the town. Eventually, the player can marry one of the women and bring her to the farmstead to help out, becoming a great asset. The player’s family will also grow as the wife will eventually have a child. Every possible spouse in the game will have unique abilities and will help out accordingly to her specific role.

There is a town in the world as well with an assortment of fresh characters whom which will all have unique dialog and characterization. There will be a shop for almost everything you will need in the game. There is the seed shop, where you can purchase seeds to grow crops for the relative season. A bakery will provide you with food to regain the playable-characters limited stamina. The bar will open up at night for the heavy drinkers who like to take it easy after a hard day’s work. There will also be a ranch in which you can purchase livestock as well as chicken feed or hay. You will also need to purchase specific items from the ranch in order to milk cows or a brush to keep their spirits high, which will result in better produce. The town also has its own mayor who will come to you for favors and will also host many fun events within the year. A church is also located next to the town’s square where you can go to speak with a priest. There are a ton of events that the mayor will hold within the year that will make the game even more appreciative. One of the more interesting events are the dog races where you can make bets and bank off other players losing’s. It is also possible to enter your own dog in the dog race; you will need to constantly train your dog in order for him to achieve an outstanding medal, though. Throughout the many events, you will also have many chances to buy unique items you would otherwise never come across, so it is always a good idea to save money and make those hefty purchases.

In the woods, the player can find a group of carpenters who will help with expanding and improving the characters personal home. Although it is not a necessity, it is always fun to have something to build up for. You will need to provide the carpenters with wood, as well as the monetary expenses. With the axe, the player can run around the woods finding stumps to cut down to collect wood. Among the woods, the player will also find a warm spring in which he can dive into and relax. There is also a cave which will eventually lead to a home of bizarre pixies. The player will also come across a fisherman who will provide a rod to fish in the pond. The fish can also be sold for profit. Many strange things can occur while in the woods as well. The player will be given many random tasks throughout the year in which he will find himself returning to the woods. The farmer can also harvest mushrooms, flowers, or grapes in the woods in accordance to the season. Items harvested in the woods can be returned to the shipment box for profit.

This game will leave you contempt through it’s simple but disciplined habits. It has left its lasting impression on me, as well as it has left its impression on the more popular but less favorable game, Farmville. It is nice to know that developers, such as Victor Interactive, love to deliver something not mainstream, but rather unique and lasting. It is definitely not your typical violent first person shooter and it will leave you consciously at peace. We will all need to learn to cultivate our own garden one day.

Preview: Assassin’s Creed III

Assassin's Creed III
Developers: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii U
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Website: Assassin's Creed III Official Website

The American Revolution was a dark but glorious time in American history that led us to be this glorious nation that we are today. A conflict grew to a global catastrophe between the British Empire and the independence-seeking American Colonies. After many vicious battles, which led to bloodshed, were sought out, the Continental Congress voted in favor of and signed the Declaration of Independence on the 4^th of July, 1776. America was not recognized as an independent sovereign nation until the Treaty of Paris was finally signed by all parties in 1783.

This is the newest setting of Ubisoft’s newest installment of the Assassin’s Creed series. Assassin’s Creed III is a direct sequel to Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, which was the 3^rd game of the thorough episodic trilogy of Assassin’s Creed II. This new game, Assassin’s Creed III, will put us at the smoky dawn of the American Revolution. We will be playing as the fictitious ancestral character of Desmond Miles, Connor Kenway, who seems to be fighting alongside America for his favored ideology. Many historically accurate figures will also be appearing in this game including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, among the many others who are set to make a recurring appearance. Connor Kenway will have a seemingly mixed native background from what appears to be a tomahawk he yields in many art designs and photos. His developing years, which have left him seeking vengeance, will take a big role in his motives.

This game is designed using the all new game Anvil Game Engine. The series is well-known for its fluidity in the free running mechanics, which is the core mechanic in the game. The game will have a massively ready to explore world called the Frontier. In this installment, we will find ourselves leaping around in the developing cities of New York and Boston. Free-running through this area will prove to be a delightful experience with a good change of scenery. New elements will also be implemented; some trailers reveal that buildings will now have the capability to climb into and jump out of, making for a more detailed and fluid experience. Evolved combat also reveals the dual-wielding of weapons

The game has run into a bit of criticism since it is obvious that the protagonist does seem to be siding with the loyalists and is constantly shown killing Red Coats throughout Ubisoft’s marketing campaigns. It does seem to be making a wrong impression, but is this not what happened in history? I understand that it may seem one-sided, but history is always told by the victors, America. The developers have denied any accusation stating that the evil Templars are in both oppositions.

Now, I just wanted to take a minute to back up and talk a little about this game's predecessor, Assassin’s Creed II and its rough trilogy experience. Assassin’s Creed has always been a fun game, and continues to be a great free-running experience. What separates the series from the rest is its ability to recreate a wicked historical story which is slightly accurately played with historical events, mainly the crusades. It goes into mass detail about Templars of the time and possible secret societies. Although Assassin’s Creed II was an awesome and fun game, it seemed that they were rapidly pushing out sequels to Ezio Auditore’s storyline, the main protagonist of ACII. Even though the games still proved to be a fun experience, I did at times feel that they were overdoing it. Not to mention they were pushing out the same game with little to no change, which was unfair to the consumer’s pocket. It did prove to be worth it though, through the captivating storyline, which would always make up for it at the end. It always did a good job at having the player seeking for more. Some things I didn’t agree with though, were the seemingly ongoing informality that developed within the developers and the player through historical biographies of people, locations, and buildings. It felt as if it the biographies began to get a little more informal and immature in the way it read opposed to feeling as if I was reading it straight from a detailed accurate encyclopedia, which I thought gave the whole idea a more serious notion. So with all that in mind, I make the point that I really hope it steps back to its level of maturity.

The series is great, I love it and will continue to play it no matter how many pointless sequels they make. Putting us in the middle of the American Revolution with hope that my character will have make an ultimate change in history, although fictitious, is a great way to relive America’s roots. I will definitely free-run over to my local game store and pick myself up a copy upon its release. Whoever said history wasn’t fun?

Preview: Deadlight - XBLA (Xbox Live Arcade)

 

 

Deadlight - (XBLA Exclusive)

Developer:Tequila Works

Publisher: Microsoft Studios

Release Date: August 1, 2012

ESRB: Rating Pending

Website: http://deadlightgame.com/

The world has come to an end, again, and one man is fighting for survival in the rubble environment of a post-apocalyptic Seattle, circa 1983. Randall Wayne has abandoned hope on humanity. Rather, he needs to nestle up any bit of hope on his own survival. Zombies are hungry and quantifying immensely as Armageddon is risen.

Randall Wayne

This is the premise for Tequila Works forth-coming side-scrolling platform post-apocalyptic zombie survival game, Deadlight, for the Xbox Live Arcade, which will be hitting the marketplace very soon. Another post-apocalyptic survival game! Almost anything post-apocalyptic will catch my attention and my eagerness to play a game with such an environment is like a zombies need for brains. I have been into post-apocalyptic settings since Fallout made me a heavy fan of its on-going series. When I first heard of Deadlight, I was interested in its creative style, but I also thought, maybe this type of setting may be overdone and if not played out correctly, might lessen the sub-genre type. Another zombie game, really? It does seem a bit overdone, but Deadlight seems to bring some interesting features and captivating storyline to the table. This game definitely seems to have an environment similar to Fallout with a twist of Shadow Complex. Side-scrolling platform games do also tend to be hitting a risky margin since most players might feel that these mechanics are a bit dated and should have been left in the past with Classic Mario games or Contra. We have come to a time of age where3-D open world navigation is an essential part of a great game that does things right. Tequila Work’s, Deadlight,hopes to deliver, and it probably will.

From what we can see from the previews, it seems that the main protagonist will have to adapt to changing environments, as well as survive hordes of flesh-ripping zombies. It is defined as a “puzzle game with zombies” more than a “zombie game”.  If this is true, this game should prove to be a challenge to hard thinkers who like puzzlers. That will definitely be a twist we do not see much of in zombie games. It has also seemed apparent that the protagonist will also be limited in protection with scarce ammo and can also alert hordes with the sound of gunfire if not careful.  Randall Wayne, the protagonist, seems to be narrating his own story portraying himself as a hero and there will be times where he tries to justify his own actions, but the player will sometimes not be convinced of that story. The world looks beautifully detailed, although a lot of it will not be explored, it does seem to add to the grim context of the game. It is not detailed on how the zombie virus is spreading or if it is even recognized, but giving the era of its time, 1983, during the Cold War, Russians might be to blame. Who knows?

This game does seem to live up to its hype, and as an Arcade game, I am sure it will be a satisfying experience. That day has yet to come though, and as days near in, my anticipation will grow for Deadlight. Armageddon has never seemed so far away!

Coming Soon!

Monday Memories - Out of this World (Another World) - SNES

 

I remember this game as being scary or eerie as a child. I never had intentions of ever playing this game due to the creepy cut scenes that occurred during death or dangerous death defying environments that were so livid, for its time. I can remember watching the gameplay and having a weird feeling in my gut and just thinking how anyone could manage to ever play such a game. This game required so much trial and error, it was ridiculous. I would see the same levels, same cut scenes implying the characters death, and the same mistaken environmental hazard over and over until it was finally done right, only to experience a whole new set of problems. I was too young to understand a game so complicated. For its time, I would have definitely said it was ahead of gaming development of its generation. This game employed cinematic cut scenes, using the limited art design offered at the time, that were so livid and almost surreal. Facial expressions were conveyed, body movements flowed, and the cut scenes showing the characters death were all so creepily smooth. I hated it and stayed away from it.

I finally grew up and decided to give it a try, just to see what I was so scared of. I ended up finding myself in the same trial and error situation, still trying to resolve my errors. I still had the same feeling in my gut, jumping at suspenseful cinematic gameplay that would also spark suspenseful cinematic music that complemented the games performance. I was still aggravated at my level progress. I was still confused and scared. Without the help of online guides, I would have been totally lost at certain levels. The game required skill, as much as it required patience.

This game had a detailed plot that followed the protagonist, Lester, a physicist, through some experiments with particle accelerators that had gone awry. He ends up ripping a hole in time and space which pulls him through, finding himself in an alternate world, hence the video game title, Out of this World. After experiencing the visual intense cut scene, you jump straight into the action without warning, without mercy. The environment Lester finds himself in is potentially dangerous and he lacks any ability to really defend himself other than little kicks he performs to squish some terrorizing unknown habitual bug. If ever Lester comes into contact with anything, he will automatically die trigger a cut scene which will lead to his untimely death, scaring the player. Lester is completely vulnerable to his surrounding and the player has to adapt to the situation through intense chases with musical queues and evade danger. He later encounters an alien race that will lock him up in a prison where he will need to escape and get out of wherever he is. He is accompanied by a buddy, named Buddy, who will assist him with his escape because he is also a prisoner. Lester will acquire a laser gun, which has 3 unique features. The laser gun will have the capability to shoot lasers, create a barrier, and ultimately charge a powered laser shot that destroys enemy barriers or walls. Given these tools to survive, the player will again need to adapt to the environment using the same trial and error discipline. Your main goal is to escape the prison, with no real ending, the game forces an ambiguous ending forcing the player to come up with his own conclusion as to what become of Lester and Buddy.

The game was developed for other consoles before it found itself on the Super Nintendo Entertainment Sytstem (SNES), but I believe it was made famous, at least apparent to me, by that console. It had been released for Sega and Apple computers during its time, as well as other pre-existing consoles. It was released by video game developers, Interplay Entertainment, for the SNES.

The game has gone through a 20^th year anniversary where it was re-released for iOS and the iPad/iPhone. The re-release will give the player the option of re-defined visuals as well as, by the swipe of the fingers, the old layout. It makes for a fascinating reassuring buy for classic gamers. It has also had a 15^th anniversary release as well as many other ports, and many other re-releases.

I was once scared as a child and had haunting memories of this game which later forced me to track my roots and face up to my fears. I am glad I had the chance to experience this game as a child, and played through it as an adult still with the same feelings. The graphics may now seem out of date, but I am sure that at its time of release, it made lasting impressions in the video game industry and development. I know it’s made a lasting impression on me.

Review - Skyrim: Dawnguard DLC

If you are not already exhausted from over playing Skyrim over the course of the last eight months and wish to have more content to continue the journey as the dragonborn, then you will be pleased to know that Bethesda has pushed out new downloadable content for their open world role-playing game. In the Dawnguard DLC, you are offered a good amount of content that doesn’t alter the gameplay, but in fact enhances it. The content varies from new weapons, companion followers, new spells, and new locations, as well as new transfiguring creatures. The game itself is overwhelming and it is hard to think that they can top it off with any more content, but the fact of the matter is that this extra content will fill in about another seven hours of gameplay per quest line and give the dragonborn a run for his money.



The Dawnguard Faction




The Vampire Faction



What we have happening in Dawnguard is a faction divide between the undead vampiric lords and their makers, the Dawnguard. The dragonborn, the playable character, has a choice to help one side of these clashing factions and commit to that quest line once the quest is triggered by a traveling Dawnguard who tells you that they are looking for new recruits. Although you will be working for one faction or the other, the quests will both disappointingly prove to be the same quest line as they are both intertwined. Some of the new quests that involve the new massive locations will also at times seem to be both redundant and wearisome. If you were hoping for two new and unique quest lines, you will find yourself disappointed at its replay value. Aside from the main quest line, there is also a bit of other interesting miscellaneous side-quests to venture into and gain some experience or unique artifacts and weapons.

A Crossbow

This downloadable content will unlock an array of new weapons. One of the first weapons you will come across is a crossbow. The crossbow seems to have been the DLC’s biggest attraction as it can be fun to use as it can also be deadly. This weapon will benefit in the fight against the vampires as it uses steel bolts, to which vampires are vulnerable to. Although it can be a great addition to the game, the crossbow can be cumbersome at times of dire danger. It is good to note that this weapon is best utilized at range as a sniper since the shot is direct and quick. Reloading the mechanism seems tedious that some might just retreat back to using a simple bow. Aside from the crossbow, it is now possible to craft many new weapons as well as craft arrows for your bows. Some of the new weapons you can now craft are dragon bone weapons which are the strongest type of weapons overall. You can make daggers, swords, long swords, maces, battle axes, and a bow made of all the dragon bones you have collected from all the slayed dragons the dragonborn has come across, putting good use to that collection. There is also a limited amount of rare weapons to be found throughout the new quests.

There are also some unique followers to take along with you in your quests. There is a fiendish hell dog that can be acquired through the vampiric quest line, an armored husky dog and an armored troll acquired through the Dawnguard quest. The armored troll isn’t as good as it sounds, but I was still fascinated at the thought of having it follow me around. Aside from pet followers, you can also have companion followers, the main one being the vampire lord’s daughter, Serana, who can be acquired by whichever of the two quest lines the dragonborn chooses. There are also other Dawnguard followers you can ask to follow you around, but none as unique.

Vampire Lord using Vampire Grip



Werewolf Skill Tree



Vampire Lord Skill Tree

There is a new creature that the dragonborn can now be transfigured to. Upon following the vampiric quest line, it is essential that you become a vampire lord to continue the story, rejecting the offer will put you back at the hands of the Dawnguard. Becoming a vampire lord will grant you the power to revert form to and from a fearsome and ugly, well, vampire lord. While in vampiric form, you have new abilities which can be enhanced by the new vampire lord skill tree, which you will need to acquire points from using the vampire lord’s abilities. The vampire form will give you a stubborn third person over-the-shoulder view and will make fighting hard to accomplish. The dragonborn will have the option to use magick abilities to drain health, conjure gargoyles to fight alongside, raise dead, or choke someone using a vampire grip among other unique abilities. It is also possible to go old fashion and make use of its claws and feed on victims. Being a vampire will also hold some advantages of gaining other abilities in human form such as night vision and a persuasion ability. With advantage also come disadvantages, the major one being the inability to function properly during the day as is common in vampire folklore. The DLC will also add a different set of skill trees for the already established werewolf from which will also grant the dragonborn extra abilities while in werewolf form.

A couple of new locations have been added to the already massive world of Skyrim. There are, of course, the two new castles for the dividing factions, the Forgotten Vale, and a new plane of oblivion called the Soul Cairn. The two new castles are massive and resemble forts from which both factions will shelter themselves throughout the game. The Forgotten Vale is a massive ice world in which the extinct Snow Elves once inhabited and worshipped the God Auri-El. You will encounter many Falmer in this location as well as a couple of new enemies such as a snow giant and some dragons that dive into the ice beds you walk on. The Forgotten Vale will also uncover a lot of details involving the extinct Snow Elves and will cover some speculations to the race. The Soul Cairn is also a massive area in the world of Skyrim filled with many lost souls and a fierce dragon as its guardian. There are a couple of new hallowed enemies in this realm that prove to be a challenge at times.

New spells can be learned in this DLC as well. There are some restorations spells that help ward off against the undead and mainly vampires. There are new conjurations in which you can summon newer creatures to fight alongside you. In the Soul Cairn, you can also learn a conjuration spell that will summon an ethereal horse in both the Soul Cairn and in Skyrim which you can ride at no hesitation. There are also some new dragon shouts the dragonborn will utilize in the game.

They have also added the ability to re-edit your custom appearance by adding a merchant whose expertise is in molding faces. This should give the dragonborn the privilege of changing the ugly appearance he is currently embedded with, for a fee. This includes facial features, make up, hair, and war paint.

At the end, we are left with a fair amount of content that will enhance gameplay in the world of Skyrim. Although it may at time seem a bit clunky and the user might undergo some game freezes within the experience, it will still be hard to put the controller down with all this content to explore. Bethesda’s latest game has already gained much notoriety and could have been the same without extra content, but they did so with the customer in mind. Although it is up for debate whether it is worth the asking price for the content, I can say I very much enjoy all the effort and attention they put in to all their highly appreciated Elder Scrolls games.