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Taiko Drum Master on DS. Step.

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A few words about this video.

1) I did this completely for fun. I really, really have fun playing the solo for Blackened, and I like the finger-tapping patterns in it. I did not do this to show off any scores or whatnot. (If you really need to know, I got 4 stars and a 91% on it.) I mess up in places. I don't care - the point was to show how the tapping looks and how insane the syncopated main riff is.

b) This is poor man's picture-in-picture. I've done decent PiP before with my Beast and the Harlot run 14 months ago (not a good one in retrospect) and with my FC of Laughtrack, but I'm just feeling too tired tonight, so I went the lazy route: play my fingers in Windows Media Player full-screen, and play the note chart in VLC Media Player in a window in the corner. Works out just fine; it just looks a bit sloppier. But again: IT WORKS. So nyah!

iii) I didn't practice this day in and day out like some obsessive lunatic. I just practiced it to the point where I could have fun tapping the buttons and not fail the song like a complete idiot. the_antipode and I will be doing a video of him playing the Blackened solo FOR REAL next to me playing it in Rock Band so you can see just how different the two are. I'm completely aware that playing Rock Band or Guitar Hero or whatnot IS NOT THE SAME AS PLAYING A REAL GUITAR. Don't get snide with me about how "rythm game are stupid because why not u just play real gitar n00b?" I've played the cello since I was five years old, and I understand the practice and dedication that it takes to be a musician. Most notably because I didn't practice like I was supposed to and my skill level is that of a 10-year decent player as opposed to a 15-year virtuoso like I was supposed to become. Sigh... though I will try to do Metallica's One on cello one of these days. I will - promise.

First order of business. As promised, Episode 76 went up just before 2008 settled in. If you missed it, it be hurr.

Now for some more game talk.

Manhunt 2

Today I spent a few more hours with it and completed stages two and three: Ghosts and Sexual Deviants. Ghosts takes you through Daniel's old childhood home, and it actually gets interesting with baddies snooping around on multiple floors. Managing this - making sure you're not right at the door to the basement when a Hunter climbs the stairs - gets a little hairy, and definitely provides some fun moments. Sexual Deviants takes you through what supposes to be a strip club, though to be quite frank, there's nothing at all "sexy" about the way the "stripper" dances. You can see her comical flailing of her limbs at the end of Kevin Van Ord's Manhunt 2 video review. There are some genuinely tense moments during the beginning of this stage, but of course the presentation overdoes it with exaggerated voice work of the club's male denizens that serves to parody what most consider the stereotypical lisp of a - well, there's no way to be PC about this, so I'll let you figure it out for yourself.

Sexual Deviants in particular reminds me of something edubuccaneer said in my last Manhunt 2 post - that Rockstar is really just trying to call attention to itself, and that he didn't see the appeal of these games. There's appeal there, yes, but I'm with him in his general tone in that it's not very deep. The appeal, as I see it, lies in exactly that attention-grabbing aspect: what will Rockstar do to break boundaries? How far will it go? There are always people interested in seeing how far the limits will be pushed. In this case, you also take all of the controversy that went into this specific release into account. Then there's also the subset of us that thrives on the cathartic explosion of blood and guts that comes with this type of game. To be completely honest, while it does entertain, the game really leans on it way too much. There could be more interesting level layouts and more flexible stealth mechanics - but it's almost all hide here, wait for dude to pass, hold down A, swing remote violently, watch censored gory execution. I'll say it again: the original Manhunt serves to be more entertaining. Brian Cox, man. Brian Cox. Can't go wrong with that guy.

Medal of Honor Heroes 2

I've figured out specifically what it is that bugs me about this game's checkpointing, and I don't know if this has become the norm in recent shooters. You have specific goals strewn throughout each stage: detonate an explosive aboard a German U-boat; take down anti-aircraft gun encampments with artillery weaponry; snipe and thus secure a key area. What makes the checkpointing feel so uneven is that you won't necessarily get a checkpoint after you complete a goal. This means that while you may have your progress quick-saved en route to a goal area, you may still have to complete said goal again if you get killed after you complete it. This is particularly maddening when a goal area is teeming with enemies. That part where you take down anti-aircraft encampments with the artillery weapon? Well, you might be in that one little area where it takes place for over 10 minutes straight, warding off Nazi soldiers as you fiddle with the artillery aiming mechanism. Your squadmates do only a passable job at protecting you. Die before reaching the next checkpoint, and guess what - you do it again. I don't know - it just makes sense to me that after you complete one of a few primary goals in a level that you'd get a checkpoint out of it. You've accomplished something - now you're supposed to get some sort of reward. Al, though, made a good point in the podcast that I'm just really short on time and that otherwise the checkpoints wouldn't bother me.

Random thought. The pump-action shotgun is loads of fun to use, though it'll take getting used to. The fact that you actually have to pump the shotgun to fire another round - an act that is not the same as reloading, which takes longer - is easily forgotten as you try to pull that B trigger in a panic while thinking your gun jammed. But it's a really satisfying feeling - boom, shick-click, boom, shick-click, boom.

Breath of Fire 2

I'm at the 23 hour mark and battling through the last quarter of the game. Happily, the game has gotten better from its undesireable beginnings. The locales I visit continue to be interesting and as my characters are becoming more powerful, battles have at least gotten a bit more interesting from a "strategizing" standpoint. The Shaman system is a bit crudely implemented, but it has afforded a pleasantly surprising "transformation" for one of my once-boring characters.

Those localization issues that plague the game sometimes wash away, but sometimes an extremely annoying gaffe comes back to remind me that this translation is completely borked. "It is the weapon" for a sword's description is just atrocious. The options for purchasing a carnival ticket being "Buy" and "Not Buy" is too comical to be taken seriously. The similar goofiness in the overall dialog really, really destroys any sense of gravitas that the plot has, and that's a shame because it's getting more and more interesting. Another gripe about the story is simply that it took so long to get going for real, and that story and world exploration progress is really hampered by fetch quests that send you back to previous locations that you just came from.

In any event, the basic gist is this: if you don't mind waiting to wade through half of the game before it gets interesting, this is your best bet for old-school 16-bit RPGs. Oh, but how awesome it would be for Phantasy Star IV to come out on Virtual Console... one can dream.

With any luck, I'll have a review for this by the end of the week.

New York Times Crosswords

Who knew that I knew so little about words? This game is consistenly making me feel like a totally illiterate moron. It takes me on average 40 minutes and 3 hints to finish a Monday puzzle. Let's not speak of the awful 60-minute-20-hint performance on a Wednesday puzzle. It's definitely mentally stimulating, though, and it's much more convenient than dragging every day's paper around with me.

Rock Band

My guitar's strummer finally went bonkers. I fixed it. Thanks to that forum post, I don't need to wait for my delayed EA Customer Support shipment. I just hope the fix lasts until it comes.

Rolling Thunder 2

Ugh. This game just feels so... primitive. It's just old - and not that good kind of "Super Mario Bros." or "Sonic the Hedghog" old - it's completely clunky. Kinda plays like an irritating version of the old-school Shinobi, with you jumping between upper and lower play areas, and I'd really, really rather be playing the smoother-feeling Shinobi.

http://trigames.net/media/music/tricast_episode_76.mp3

WEE

I still haven't played past the second stage in Manhunt 2, but when the_antipode came over the other day to play some games, we went through the first stage again and I had the chance to analyze what I've played of it a little further. My initial feeling still stands: if you own the first Manhunt on any platform, there's very little reason - mechanically speaking - to go out and purchase this one. Impressions being based on the Wii version, of course. The executions - yes - are fun to pull off by using the Wii remote and nunchuk combination. It's not fun enough to spend another dollop of cash, though, if you've had your fill of the first game. Nevermind the annoying obfuscation of these executions, making it very difficult to actually see what you're doing.

Something just feels off about Manhunt 2. The way you skulk around in the shadows just doesn't feel as refined and easily-controlled as in the first one. Perhaps it's due to the camera that swings wildlly around at certain points. Perhaps it's the imprecise hand-to-hand combat - punching away with the Wii remote and nunchuk simply doesn't feel as responsive and consistent as something like Twilight Princess does (though at least it works better than friggin' Wii Sports Boxing). The execution motion controls are spot-on, at least.

The presentation just doesn't feel as crisp as does the original Manhunt's. I thought it might just be because I'm now used to graphics of 360 and PS3 caliber, but after taking another look at old Manhunt footage, I don't think that's the case. There's something pasty - this smeared look - about Manhunt 2 that just doesn't resonate with me in the same way that the original Manhunt's gritty, noisy look did. Maybe I just need to play it more.

I'm hoping that "safely ignore" turns into "passable entertainment" as the game progresses, what with all the freaking hullaballoo surrounding the game's release. Otherwise I'll probably just pick up an old copy of the first one and be done with it.

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Alex drumming to Cherub Rock on Expert. Clickity clackity clackity clickity RULE.

There's a certain saying - "you get what you pay for." If you're a discerning fan of videogames, you'll want to get only the best, right? Then, there's no way you can afford to pass this one up. Sure, this game exists as a real-life, physical table-top party game. But it costs half as much! So of course, it can't be worth your time. You - say it with me - get what you pay for, right? Right? So then, the perfect holiday capper to egg nog and some family time is to sit down on the couch with this title and enjoy the rest of your time off practicing your dexterity with the Wii Remote. Not only is this game a revolution and improvement over the real-life party game; its squiggly controls and obtuse surface are actually clever masks that peel away to reveal a dexterity trainer underneath. This is the ideal gift for the holiday season - bar none.

Countdown to Christmas: The Ideal Gift List - Number 2

Countdown to Christmas: The Ideal Gift List - Number 3

Trigames.NET Podcast Episode 74 - Dustpan

Cleaning up the last remnants of the whole Gerstmann dealie, now armed with more official words and ... more Kotaku rumors! Plus, we take off our sad faces and return to our original format. Originally aired 12-15-2007.

Download here.

Trigames.NET Podcast Episode 75 - In Stereo

One question: how in the hell did Neversoft's testing department not catch that the Wii version of Guitar Hero III was NOT in Stereo sound? Oh, and a whole bunch of other catfight news. Activision and Harmonix hate each other! One wants cross compatibility; one wants money! Shiggy doesn't know what the Ratchet and Clank series is! PS3 games are "infinitely" more fun than Wii games! And as for the mailbag... Someone wants to know how to support Jeff Gerstmann and the Gamespot staff without patronizing the parent company! Someone else wants to know what we'd add to our tiny lil site to add traffic! Still someone else claims that the last-gen Xbox shouldn't be ignored for all of its great exclusive games, but yet somehow the Gamecube can be! Poof!

Download here.
File size: 71.2MB
Run time: 1:38:53

Countdown to Christmas: The Ideal Gift List - Number 2

Countdown to Christmas: The Ideal Gift List - Number 3

Vroom! Do you have a budding Mario Andretti in your family? Did you manage to snare a Wii over the last year? Well, if you're looking for the perfect high-velocity game for your loved one, look no further. This wonderful Wii game is a stunning interpretation of an arcade favorite and a testament to the console's technical prowess. Featuring pinpoint-accurate motion controls, state-of-the-art "clipping" technology and a revolutionary new graphical trick called "digitized graphics" that slaps photorealistic images of people up on the screen, you'd be a sucker not to buy this game as a gift.

See Countdown to Christmas: The Ideal Gift List - Number 3