For those who read this blog, I must apologize for not saying anything for so long.
Anyway, the reason I haven't written anything is that I'm in college at the moment, and so won't really be writing anything here for at least another year and a half, unless the impossible happens and the work-load slackens as time goes by.
I've also decided not to review freeware games if I don't like them. Don't think they're worth wasting my fingers on. They only have a limited life-span before all those key-strokes get the better of them after all.
Zagrius Blog
Freewareview - Blue Wish
by Zagrius on Comments
And after about a month of wait, the review arrives!
Blue Wish is a side-scrolling shmup made by private game-developer X.X. It's a simple game where you pick one of three difficulty settings (Heaven/Easy, Original/Normal, or Desperate/Hard), then carry on to choose between two fighters (plus another as a semi-secret extra) before journeying onwards to either destroy all the evil forces of Empire Evil, or perhaps to destroy all the good forces of Kingdom Benevulon. I have no idea what the story is, if it even exists.
The only difference between the Blue Wish and Blue Hope is that the first has a more widespread attack to make it easier to hit things even while dodging bullets, while the latter has a more focused attack for taking out large enemies quickly. The secret vessel... Well, you'll see for yourself.
As mentioned, the game is simple. Your mobile weapon of mass destruction can move in the four 2D directions using the directional keys, shoot with 'Shift', and bomb the hell out of everything with 'Z'. Holding 'Shift' will result in your vessel slowing down and concentrating your attack, good for an easy victory versus large enemies and for dodging bullet-mazes. 'Ctrl' can also be used to fire your primary weapon, and holding it won't slow you down or focus your attack. The 'A' button pauses the game, while the space-bar will reset the game. The game's default settings will automatically throw a bomb if a bullet hits you to avoid getting killed, as long as you have a bomb.
Your aim in this game is three-fold:
1. Survive.
2. Destroy anything that moves.
3. Collect bonus-counters.
The game can be quite difficult, as I still get hit a time or two even after playing Heaven mode for a while now. I don't recall if I actually managed to get through the Original difficulty, but I do know that Desperate mode destroyed me with ease.
As you fly through the different stages, you'll be able to make almost everything explode pretty quickly, though some things can take a short while to be demolished (especially at first when your weapon is at its weakest). As you destroy things they release varying amounts of bonus counters, which then move automatically to your ship, to add to your bonus total, which steadily goes down while you're not collecting more counters. The counters themselves will also be worth less and less the longer it takes for you to collect them after they're released.
When some big vessels are destroyed (including the boss), all the shots on the screen will automatically be turned into more bonus counters. It's pretty safe to assume that any enemy that has a health-bar will do this upon meeting its end.
The game's graphics are adequate, though hardly something that could compete with commercial games. The aircrafts aren't very original and there are maybe three-four different types of bullets that'll try to obliterate you. I'm mostly not entirely sure what the backgrounds are trying to convey after level three, and when I first saw the burning craters left by the larger enemies you tackle on your way I thought that it was supposed to be some sort of weird colony of giant fungi.
The sound effects are better, shots get fired, things explode. Good for a piece of freeware. The music is much better. I especially like the one of the fourth level, though they're all quite excellent.
The most important thing is how the factors come together. I, personally, like the simple gameplay, and really enjoyed the game. I'd suggest giving the game a try. It's free and has a relatively small size unless you happen to be on dial-up I suppose.
There's already a link to the game on the second blog post before this one.
Blue Wish is a side-scrolling shmup made by private game-developer X.X. It's a simple game where you pick one of three difficulty settings (Heaven/Easy, Original/Normal, or Desperate/Hard), then carry on to choose between two fighters (plus another as a semi-secret extra) before journeying onwards to either destroy all the evil forces of Empire Evil, or perhaps to destroy all the good forces of Kingdom Benevulon. I have no idea what the story is, if it even exists.
The only difference between the Blue Wish and Blue Hope is that the first has a more widespread attack to make it easier to hit things even while dodging bullets, while the latter has a more focused attack for taking out large enemies quickly. The secret vessel... Well, you'll see for yourself.
As mentioned, the game is simple. Your mobile weapon of mass destruction can move in the four 2D directions using the directional keys, shoot with 'Shift', and bomb the hell out of everything with 'Z'. Holding 'Shift' will result in your vessel slowing down and concentrating your attack, good for an easy victory versus large enemies and for dodging bullet-mazes. 'Ctrl' can also be used to fire your primary weapon, and holding it won't slow you down or focus your attack. The 'A' button pauses the game, while the space-bar will reset the game. The game's default settings will automatically throw a bomb if a bullet hits you to avoid getting killed, as long as you have a bomb.
Your aim in this game is three-fold:
1. Survive.
2. Destroy anything that moves.
3. Collect bonus-counters.
The game can be quite difficult, as I still get hit a time or two even after playing Heaven mode for a while now. I don't recall if I actually managed to get through the Original difficulty, but I do know that Desperate mode destroyed me with ease.
As you fly through the different stages, you'll be able to make almost everything explode pretty quickly, though some things can take a short while to be demolished (especially at first when your weapon is at its weakest). As you destroy things they release varying amounts of bonus counters, which then move automatically to your ship, to add to your bonus total, which steadily goes down while you're not collecting more counters. The counters themselves will also be worth less and less the longer it takes for you to collect them after they're released.
When some big vessels are destroyed (including the boss), all the shots on the screen will automatically be turned into more bonus counters. It's pretty safe to assume that any enemy that has a health-bar will do this upon meeting its end.
The game's graphics are adequate, though hardly something that could compete with commercial games. The aircrafts aren't very original and there are maybe three-four different types of bullets that'll try to obliterate you. I'm mostly not entirely sure what the backgrounds are trying to convey after level three, and when I first saw the burning craters left by the larger enemies you tackle on your way I thought that it was supposed to be some sort of weird colony of giant fungi.
The sound effects are better, shots get fired, things explode. Good for a piece of freeware. The music is much better. I especially like the one of the fourth level, though they're all quite excellent.
The most important thing is how the factors come together. I, personally, like the simple gameplay, and really enjoyed the game. I'd suggest giving the game a try. It's free and has a relatively small size unless you happen to be on dial-up I suppose.
There's already a link to the game on the second blog post before this one.
Lazyness Alert
by Zagrius on Comments
As you can see, there's no new Freewareview. As I suspected, my mad procrastination skillz are getting in the way.
It'll be up when it's done. :D
It'll be up when it's done. :D
Freewareview Alert
by Zagrius on Comments
Y'ello. Perhaps if I write what I plan to review next, I'll feel more inclined to actually review a game. So, let's check the list of games on my freeware folder...
..
.
I sure have a lot of shooters over there. Okay, the next game I'll review will be either Eden's Edge, Blue Wish or Green Wind, all three of which are shmups made by developer X.X, and which generally play about the same.
There's no need to wait for the official reviews, all three games are great! If you like shmups you'll enjoy these titles, certainly worth the price. If I had to rank them it would be:
1. Blue Wish
2. Eden's Edge
3. Green Wind
You can download all three games here (Japanese Alert - just scroll down a bit).
..
.
I sure have a lot of shooters over there. Okay, the next game I'll review will be either Eden's Edge, Blue Wish or Green Wind, all three of which are shmups made by developer X.X, and which generally play about the same.
There's no need to wait for the official reviews, all three games are great! If you like shmups you'll enjoy these titles, certainly worth the price. If I had to rank them it would be:
1. Blue Wish
2. Eden's Edge
3. Green Wind
You can download all three games here (Japanese Alert - just scroll down a bit).
Freewareview - Doukutsu Monogatari (Cave Story)
by Zagrius on Comments
Freewareview... Kind of a stupid neologism, eh? Was worth a shot. So on to the review.
As mentioned in the introduction, Cave Story was created by an independent Japanese developer, whose work name is Studio Pixel. The Japanese game was then translated by fans to English.
The game begins with you finding yourself inside a small cave, with no weapons, items, or even any memory of what happened or who you are (so everything you know, your character knows). Once you get out of this place that may look like a prison, you literally crash into a village of Mimigas, weird creatures that look like a cross between rabbits and humans... Though not exactly. Soon enough you embark on a quest to save the Mimigas from some evil kidnapping Doctor and his two minions: Balrog, a walking/jumping block, and Misery, some sort of emo witch. As you continue you learn more about the Mimigas, the history of the odd cave and of course yourself.
Now, the story is of course a bit cliche, but it has enough twists to keep it from detracting from the gaming experience. I believe that the story flows naturally and doesn't just jump from here to there, confusing the player and ruining the enjoyment.
As mentioned in the former post, the game is a tribute to games like Metroid and Castlevania, in graphics and sounds as well as gameplay. The game is a platformer. When you start the game you can only move right, left, jump, and check your empty inventory, but once you steal your first weapon you can shoot to the sides, upwards, and downwards as well when in mid-air. Later you may find a map which shows you the entire area where you're currently located, more weapons and a booster pack which lets you jump higher.
Weapons can level up. A weapon begins at level 1, and can reach level 3. You gain weapon-exp by killing creatures, who then drop orange triangles which you can collect. You'll then gain experience for the weapon you're holding while you pick the triangles up. Be wary, as incurring damage will cause the weapon you're holding to lose exp, and even de-level. Fortunately, the game is filled with weak creatures just waiting to die and give you exp, hearts (for health), and missiles for your missile launcher once you acquire it.
The game is rather linear. You're given little freedom in where to go next, there are only two or three major choices you can make that affect the storyline, and although you can return to most areas you've explored once you get back to the Mimiga Village, there's usually no reason to do so. There are a couple of side quests, but they're very short. The main storyline itself isn't too long either, and can be beat very quickly depending on your familiarity with the game.
The graphics are akin to a very good NES game, I'd say. The sprites and backgrounds can get quite detailed as you reach later parts of the game, but it's still doesn't reach SNES-levels, in my opinion. I don't suggest this game to someone who deems modern, high-quality graphics as a main factor in purchasing video games.
The sounds also remind me something from the late NES era. They can be rather entertaining, but no one should expect an audio experience that'll leave him breathless. The background music fits the different areas you explore, and there are a few catchy tunes here and there. Sound effects are simple and correspond well with what's happening on the screen. As with graphics, if one thinks that NES-era audio provides little entertainment, then this game might not be for him.
In short, this is a great tribute to platformers, and a fantastic game on its own. Anyone who seeks a fun experience and doesn't mind dated graphics and audio effects will enjoy this title, especially considering that it's free.
Links:
Studio Pixel (Japanese) - The developer's site.
Cave Story, A Tribute Site - Quite comprehensive, contains game and translation downloads.
As mentioned in the introduction, Cave Story was created by an independent Japanese developer, whose work name is Studio Pixel. The Japanese game was then translated by fans to English.
The game begins with you finding yourself inside a small cave, with no weapons, items, or even any memory of what happened or who you are (so everything you know, your character knows). Once you get out of this place that may look like a prison, you literally crash into a village of Mimigas, weird creatures that look like a cross between rabbits and humans... Though not exactly. Soon enough you embark on a quest to save the Mimigas from some evil kidnapping Doctor and his two minions: Balrog, a walking/jumping block, and Misery, some sort of emo witch. As you continue you learn more about the Mimigas, the history of the odd cave and of course yourself.
Now, the story is of course a bit cliche, but it has enough twists to keep it from detracting from the gaming experience. I believe that the story flows naturally and doesn't just jump from here to there, confusing the player and ruining the enjoyment.
As mentioned in the former post, the game is a tribute to games like Metroid and Castlevania, in graphics and sounds as well as gameplay. The game is a platformer. When you start the game you can only move right, left, jump, and check your empty inventory, but once you steal your first weapon you can shoot to the sides, upwards, and downwards as well when in mid-air. Later you may find a map which shows you the entire area where you're currently located, more weapons and a booster pack which lets you jump higher.
Weapons can level up. A weapon begins at level 1, and can reach level 3. You gain weapon-exp by killing creatures, who then drop orange triangles which you can collect. You'll then gain experience for the weapon you're holding while you pick the triangles up. Be wary, as incurring damage will cause the weapon you're holding to lose exp, and even de-level. Fortunately, the game is filled with weak creatures just waiting to die and give you exp, hearts (for health), and missiles for your missile launcher once you acquire it.
The game is rather linear. You're given little freedom in where to go next, there are only two or three major choices you can make that affect the storyline, and although you can return to most areas you've explored once you get back to the Mimiga Village, there's usually no reason to do so. There are a couple of side quests, but they're very short. The main storyline itself isn't too long either, and can be beat very quickly depending on your familiarity with the game.
The graphics are akin to a very good NES game, I'd say. The sprites and backgrounds can get quite detailed as you reach later parts of the game, but it's still doesn't reach SNES-levels, in my opinion. I don't suggest this game to someone who deems modern, high-quality graphics as a main factor in purchasing video games.
The sounds also remind me something from the late NES era. They can be rather entertaining, but no one should expect an audio experience that'll leave him breathless. The background music fits the different areas you explore, and there are a few catchy tunes here and there. Sound effects are simple and correspond well with what's happening on the screen. As with graphics, if one thinks that NES-era audio provides little entertainment, then this game might not be for him.
In short, this is a great tribute to platformers, and a fantastic game on its own. Anyone who seeks a fun experience and doesn't mind dated graphics and audio effects will enjoy this title, especially considering that it's free.
Links:
Studio Pixel (Japanese) - The developer's site.
Cave Story, A Tribute Site - Quite comprehensive, contains game and translation downloads.
Introduction
by Zagrius on Comments
If you're reading this you must be lost, but while you're present, you might as well waste a bit of time reading this blog.
This blog will be mostly about nothing, in that I won't be updating this much, from my experience with my very short-lived live journal. However, when I do write, it'll be either a review of a freeware game (or anything that otherwise doesn't appear in GameSpot for some reason), or perhaps ideas I have about new games, or just general rants. I don't really have any experience with these things so I'm not sure what it'll evolve into.
My first Freeware Review will be about Cave Story, a platformer tribute to the likes of Metroid and Castlevania, developed by Studio Pixel, and then translated from Japanese by fans of the game.
The game, its translation, and general tips, hints and walk-throughs can all be found here. The actual review will be posted later.
This blog will be mostly about nothing, in that I won't be updating this much, from my experience with my very short-lived live journal. However, when I do write, it'll be either a review of a freeware game (or anything that otherwise doesn't appear in GameSpot for some reason), or perhaps ideas I have about new games, or just general rants. I don't really have any experience with these things so I'm not sure what it'll evolve into.
My first Freeware Review will be about Cave Story, a platformer tribute to the likes of Metroid and Castlevania, developed by Studio Pixel, and then translated from Japanese by fans of the game.
The game, its translation, and general tips, hints and walk-throughs can all be found here. The actual review will be posted later.
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