Login
Gamecube Backlog
Sort by:
Showing 1-50 of 55
Rating:
List Type:
477
7.4
0
Animal Crossing - GameCube
STATUS: Occasional Play.
You can't really beat this one... but haven't played it in basically forever. Let's call this one "on hiatus"
You can't really beat this one... but haven't played it in basically forever. Let's call this one "on hiatus"
This man (raccoon) owns you. Don't forget it.
voodoozen's rating:
93
8.6
0
Beyond Good & Evil - GameCube
Status: Unplayed
Well, I played through the first 60 minutes or so, into the first cave/dungeon.
I have to admit, I was completely surprised by the way BG&E opens. You're not given the typical tutorial level hand holding for the introduction, the game literally just opens up into this strange, quasi-futuristic distopia with no attempt to give you the back story. What a way to start!
Well, I played through the first 60 minutes or so, into the first cave/dungeon.
I have to admit, I was completely surprised by the way BG&E opens. You're not given the typical tutorial level hand holding for the introduction, the game literally just opens up into this strange, quasi-futuristic distopia with no attempt to give you the back story. What a way to start!
68
7.7
0
Chibi-Robo - GameCube
Status: Unfinished
Started this one, but haven't gotten the urge to go back. No fault of the game, but other backlog items come first.
Started this one, but haven't gotten the urge to go back. No fault of the game, but other backlog items come first.
365
7.8
0
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem - GameCube
STATUS: finished!
[Aug 2010] I've just finished an awesome game, one of the few scary games that really works on all levels. Just hope there's a sequel eventually.
I started looking into ED after I finished RE:0 a while back. I knew it was high on everyone's list of great GC games and was one of only 2 M rated game Nintendo published for GameCube (the other was Geist), but I wasn't persuaded to try it until I got bitten by horror games with RE. Having played RE:0, 1, 2 and CV (and later the Wii Chronicles editions). I expected a game that was scary and psychological, but what I got was a spooky, atmospheric adventure that has touches of just about every genre (OK, except kart racing).
Eternal Darkness is unique- it's scary and unnerving, but never so much so that it loses it's great sense of adventure and exploration in favor of JUST horror. Yes, it's short in pure 'jump out of your seat' scares, but throughout the entire game you never feel safe, and that tension builds and builds as you get further into the game. A short list eerie and tense things that keep your pulse high:
* Knocks from behind doors you can't open or haven't opened
* Besides the constant whispers in the background, the music sometimes builds well before the danger appears. You're already tense when things go down!
* Telephones ringing from faraway, dark rooms
* Invisible enemies that you can hear but not see (without magick)
* Areas where you need to cast spells to avoid damage. You don't always have enough magic to make it unharmed...
*Shadows and lighting are very eerie. I can't describe it better than that, take my word for it. Darkness is spooky when used correctly, and this is the way to do it.
Another great mechanic: You don't play the same character for the entire game, yet you guide them through environments you've already visited, albeit now tens or hundreds of years later in the story. And while most of the characters aren't particularly well developed or explained past a brief introduction, you realize how relatively strong or weak they are immediately, and you feel as though you're moving in their shoes and genuinely want to keep going, despite knowing that regardless of what you do there's probably no happy ending for your character.
Resident Evil and Silent Hill may be the better known Survival Horror games out there, but where ED soars above them is in utilizing the constant thread of story, characters and locations pull you in and keep you wanting to play. Reviewers usually tout the insanity effects, but I feel like they've not aged as well as the story (imagine hearing a modem dialing up these days... instant clue that something is badly out of date). And by midway through the game, every time your head falls off, the camera perspective twists uncontrollably, the controller stops working, etc, you'll see it coming and start to change your gameplay to compensate and avoid the effects- in essence, you just learn how to avoid the situation rather than be affected or scared by it.
Controls are WORLDS ahead of the old RE series in that you can aim/attack while you move AND you can target exactly where you want to aim- lob off heads, hack arms, wherever you want. There's a plethora of weapons available plus magick to cast, the latter of which is slowly built up and strengthened in a very RPG way, quite different from just finding the next weapon in traditional survival horror.
The script and voice acting is top shelf as well, which you'll appreciate by the time you play the 15 or so hours to reach the ending. Having said that, I liked that the the game isn't overly long or short (between 10-20 hours)or particularly difficult (you can run past some of the more plodding enemies if you want), and that's a welcome thing to me. Once you start to figure out how to use your spells to solve puzzles and more easily defeat enemies you really gain a sense of knowledge, and you begin to enjoy the differences doing something more than just the standard "task - open new level - task - boss" formula.
I played the game with the lights down and sound up as often as possible, and it absolutely enhanced the immersion factor; I'd recommend anyone who has a proper surround sound setup to try this game in the dark, alone and with the DPL II cranked up, it'll definitely pucker your ol' mudwhistle from time to time.
Level design
Like I mentioned, you replay a lot of the same areas again and again in ED, but there's always something new to explore on your return trip, new areas open or areas and items you couldn't reach with past characters. A handful of the levels are just corridors linked to arenas, but by and large the areas you'll explore are vast and wide open, and can get pretty maze-like and confusing.
Will I play it again? Probably, it was a solid experience and gave me some good chills, and not just the "dog-suddenly-leaps-through-window" kind (looking at you, RE). I can't believe this game never got a sequel, it's one of the few truly unique game experiences I've had in a long, long time. It deserves to be resurrected!
[EXTRA NOTE] One last thought that really doesn't fit in any of the other sections: ED started life as a N64 game, and there's a faint hint of that in the game - in a good way. I can't put my finger on it, it might be the ghosts of 64-bit era lighting effects, it might be the way the characters are animated, it could even be the way textures are mapped... but it feels different than other Gamecube (and current gen) games somehow, and I really, really love it. Starfox Adventures had the same sensation for me, mostly in the areas with more blue and green palettes or dark caves and single lights. If someone else knows what I'm talking about, please comment! I'd love to have other theories on what exactly makes these games feel that little twitch different than their GCN-only developed cousins.
[Aug 2010] I've just finished an awesome game, one of the few scary games that really works on all levels. Just hope there's a sequel eventually.
I started looking into ED after I finished RE:0 a while back. I knew it was high on everyone's list of great GC games and was one of only 2 M rated game Nintendo published for GameCube (the other was Geist), but I wasn't persuaded to try it until I got bitten by horror games with RE. Having played RE:0, 1, 2 and CV (and later the Wii Chronicles editions). I expected a game that was scary and psychological, but what I got was a spooky, atmospheric adventure that has touches of just about every genre (OK, except kart racing).
Eternal Darkness is unique- it's scary and unnerving, but never so much so that it loses it's great sense of adventure and exploration in favor of JUST horror. Yes, it's short in pure 'jump out of your seat' scares, but throughout the entire game you never feel safe, and that tension builds and builds as you get further into the game. A short list eerie and tense things that keep your pulse high:
* Knocks from behind doors you can't open or haven't opened
* Besides the constant whispers in the background, the music sometimes builds well before the danger appears. You're already tense when things go down!
* Telephones ringing from faraway, dark rooms
* Invisible enemies that you can hear but not see (without magick)
* Areas where you need to cast spells to avoid damage. You don't always have enough magic to make it unharmed...
*Shadows and lighting are very eerie. I can't describe it better than that, take my word for it. Darkness is spooky when used correctly, and this is the way to do it.
Another great mechanic: You don't play the same character for the entire game, yet you guide them through environments you've already visited, albeit now tens or hundreds of years later in the story. And while most of the characters aren't particularly well developed or explained past a brief introduction, you realize how relatively strong or weak they are immediately, and you feel as though you're moving in their shoes and genuinely want to keep going, despite knowing that regardless of what you do there's probably no happy ending for your character.
Resident Evil and Silent Hill may be the better known Survival Horror games out there, but where ED soars above them is in utilizing the constant thread of story, characters and locations pull you in and keep you wanting to play. Reviewers usually tout the insanity effects, but I feel like they've not aged as well as the story (imagine hearing a modem dialing up these days... instant clue that something is badly out of date). And by midway through the game, every time your head falls off, the camera perspective twists uncontrollably, the controller stops working, etc, you'll see it coming and start to change your gameplay to compensate and avoid the effects- in essence, you just learn how to avoid the situation rather than be affected or scared by it.
Whay are old mansions always the scariest places on Earth?
Controls are WORLDS ahead of the old RE series in that you can aim/attack while you move AND you can target exactly where you want to aim- lob off heads, hack arms, wherever you want. There's a plethora of weapons available plus magick to cast, the latter of which is slowly built up and strengthened in a very RPG way, quite different from just finding the next weapon in traditional survival horror.
The script and voice acting is top shelf as well, which you'll appreciate by the time you play the 15 or so hours to reach the ending. Having said that, I liked that the the game isn't overly long or short (between 10-20 hours)or particularly difficult (you can run past some of the more plodding enemies if you want), and that's a welcome thing to me. Once you start to figure out how to use your spells to solve puzzles and more easily defeat enemies you really gain a sense of knowledge, and you begin to enjoy the differences doing something more than just the standard "task - open new level - task - boss" formula.
I played the game with the lights down and sound up as often as possible, and it absolutely enhanced the immersion factor; I'd recommend anyone who has a proper surround sound setup to try this game in the dark, alone and with the DPL II cranked up, it'll definitely pucker your ol' mudwhistle from time to time.
Level design
Like I mentioned, you replay a lot of the same areas again and again in ED, but there's always something new to explore on your return trip, new areas open or areas and items you couldn't reach with past characters. A handful of the levels are just corridors linked to arenas, but by and large the areas you'll explore are vast and wide open, and can get pretty maze-like and confusing.
This was it, the moment when I put down my controller and just looked in quiet wonder at the amazingness in front of me. First time in a video game in years.
Will I play it again? Probably, it was a solid experience and gave me some good chills, and not just the "dog-suddenly-leaps-through-window" kind (looking at you, RE). I can't believe this game never got a sequel, it's one of the few truly unique game experiences I've had in a long, long time. It deserves to be resurrected!
[EXTRA NOTE] One last thought that really doesn't fit in any of the other sections: ED started life as a N64 game, and there's a faint hint of that in the game - in a good way. I can't put my finger on it, it might be the ghosts of 64-bit era lighting effects, it might be the way the characters are animated, it could even be the way textures are mapped... but it feels different than other Gamecube (and current gen) games somehow, and I really, really love it. Starfox Adventures had the same sensation for me, mostly in the areas with more blue and green palettes or dark caves and single lights. If someone else knows what I'm talking about, please comment! I'd love to have other theories on what exactly makes these games feel that little twitch different than their GCN-only developed cousins.
voodoozen's rating:
32
6.5
0
Geist - GameCube
STATUS: Now Playing
You know... there's only so many ways you can use the work and ideas of others. Effectively there's 3: 1) the obvious, 2) the subtle, and 3) the cleverly disguised homage.
Geist, while a novel concept overall, riffs on all 3 of those, but never goes so far as to copy more than one concept at a time- which serves it well in that the game is a novel mix of genres, but ties it to concepts it never really embraces or utilizes to their full potential.
Let's get the copy/paste bits out of the way:
* The opening theme alone is obviously a nod to Metroid Prime. Soaring (midi) choir singing over menacing, swelling orchestral chords? It's good but derivative at the same time.
* FPS that's "not a FPS", but an action adventure? (Sounds like... Metroid Prime!)
* Mostly solo exploration with hostile environments that will kill you if left exposed when in geist form (MP:Echoes)
* Ephemeral, haunted house and secret underground mega-lab level design (Resident Evil)
* Generic "space marine" armor (Halo & all FPS)
The Good:
* Mature rating is something Nintendo almost NEVER does (this and Eternal Darkness were the first two to the Big N). And even though it's a 'tame' mature (I think the M rating was due not to violence but to the shower scene, which is PG at best)
* Scare and possess mechanic has never been done before. Kinda cool!
* The game gets better the more you play. I like a game that builds, and this one definitely does that
* Lots of good puzzles, although they're never too hard to figure out they keep you thinking
* Multiple character types that are both creative and fun to play. You get to play as a dog food bowl, a shop light, and a motorcycle. Plus soldiers.
The Bad:
* It's never FPS-ery enough to be on par with CoD or Halo
* It's never scary enough to compete with Silent Hill or (old) Resident Evil games.
* It's never action-y enough to be Metroid Prime
* The bosses are bullet sponges. Stupid, stupid, bullet sponges
* Aiming is a c_h_o_r_e compared to some other FPS. Not terrible, but tedious.
* Biggest Gripe: You CAN get stuck. Not just lost, I mean totally screwed, restart the level and try again stuck. That's not cool for me in an adventure game. One of the best things about every Zelda, Metroid, Castlevania, etc. is that you're never truly stuck-stuck, you're just lost for a while. Those games will close a door but leave a small hint how to escape... and in Geist, that just isn't the case. If you blow something up too soon or miss an item, you can't progress and have to restart. The checkpoints are generous, but c'mon... calling it quits because I missed one item is bad design.
It's not a bad game, and once the story finally finds it's pace around the 50% mark things really start to click here. The atmosphere starts to become more consistent, the scares and shooting elements balance out, character development is fleshed out... the whole game just seems to gel.
The issue with Geist is that the concept works much better as an adventure game rather than a shooter- and that makes sense: N-Space was making a Halo-esque FPS where the shooter was invisible (gimmicky FPS?), but Nintendo decided to add a more ghostly angle. All in all, the game tries too hard to split the difference between shooty bang-bang and atmosphere, which ultimately leaves neither option fully utilized. It's worth a play through for sure, if you set your expectations to '6/10' when you start.
You know... there's only so many ways you can use the work and ideas of others. Effectively there's 3: 1) the obvious, 2) the subtle, and 3) the cleverly disguised homage.
Geist, while a novel concept overall, riffs on all 3 of those, but never goes so far as to copy more than one concept at a time- which serves it well in that the game is a novel mix of genres, but ties it to concepts it never really embraces or utilizes to their full potential.
Let's get the copy/paste bits out of the way:
* The opening theme alone is obviously a nod to Metroid Prime. Soaring (midi) choir singing over menacing, swelling orchestral chords? It's good but derivative at the same time.
* FPS that's "not a FPS", but an action adventure? (Sounds like... Metroid Prime!)
* Mostly solo exploration with hostile environments that will kill you if left exposed when in geist form (MP:Echoes)
* Ephemeral, haunted house and secret underground mega-lab level design (Resident Evil)
* Generic "space marine" armor (Halo & all FPS)
Totally not Halo. Or any other future shooter ever.
The Good:
* Mature rating is something Nintendo almost NEVER does (this and Eternal Darkness were the first two to the Big N). And even though it's a 'tame' mature (I think the M rating was due not to violence but to the shower scene, which is PG at best)
* Scare and possess mechanic has never been done before. Kinda cool!
* The game gets better the more you play. I like a game that builds, and this one definitely does that
* Lots of good puzzles, although they're never too hard to figure out they keep you thinking
* Multiple character types that are both creative and fun to play. You get to play as a dog food bowl, a shop light, and a motorcycle. Plus soldiers.
The Bad:
* It's never FPS-ery enough to be on par with CoD or Halo
* It's never scary enough to compete with Silent Hill or (old) Resident Evil games.
* It's never action-y enough to be Metroid Prime
* The bosses are bullet sponges. Stupid, stupid, bullet sponges
* Aiming is a c_h_o_r_e compared to some other FPS. Not terrible, but tedious.
* Biggest Gripe: You CAN get stuck. Not just lost, I mean totally screwed, restart the level and try again stuck. That's not cool for me in an adventure game. One of the best things about every Zelda, Metroid, Castlevania, etc. is that you're never truly stuck-stuck, you're just lost for a while. Those games will close a door but leave a small hint how to escape... and in Geist, that just isn't the case. If you blow something up too soon or miss an item, you can't progress and have to restart. The checkpoints are generous, but c'mon... calling it quits because I missed one item is bad design.
It's not a bad game, and once the story finally finds it's pace around the 50% mark things really start to click here. The atmosphere starts to become more consistent, the scares and shooting elements balance out, character development is fleshed out... the whole game just seems to gel.
The issue with Geist is that the concept works much better as an adventure game rather than a shooter- and that makes sense: N-Space was making a Halo-esque FPS where the shooter was invisible (gimmicky FPS?), but Nintendo decided to add a more ghostly angle. All in all, the game tries too hard to split the difference between shooty bang-bang and atmosphere, which ultimately leaves neither option fully utilized. It's worth a play through for sure, if you set your expectations to '6/10' when you start.
Dude, we knew you were ripping on Metroid Prime as soon as the opening music started... but nice nod to the queen!
voodoozen's rating:
11
6.8
0
The Hobbit - GameCube
STATUS: Finished
TIME TO BEAT: 16h
Like Zelda? Like J.R.R Tolkien?
You should absolutely play this game.
Save for the too-close camera angles that unfortunately forces bad jumps to your death (also known as "Epic Mickey Syndrome"), the game is very, very good.
TIME TO BEAT: 16h
Like Zelda? Like J.R.R Tolkien?
You should absolutely play this game.
Save for the too-close camera angles that unfortunately forces bad jumps to your death (also known as "Epic Mickey Syndrome"), the game is very, very good.
voodoozen's rating:
32
7.6
0
James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire - GameCube
STATUS: Unplayed
Played first level. It was ok...
Played first level. It was ok...
380
8.4
0
Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition - GameCube
Status: Technically Unplayed
I've only loaded the disc to make sure it works... but I've played (and never beat) most of the games on the disc. This one was a rare craigslist uber-find: I paid $15 for this and 3 other games, kept Zelda and then turned around and sold the other 3 for... wait for it... $15 :D
I really want to play all of these again (or first time, Majora) on Wii I play almost all my GCN on Wii... GameCube native resolution and HDTV's is a sad, jaggy mess, but the time it takes to run through a Zelda game means I need to be committed to it for the long haul. And some things, like, well, real life, can't wait on 40 hour games anymore.
When I'm old, I'll be the grandpa that just plays games all day. I swear, my grandkids will have to ask ME to put down the controller and come play outside!
I've only loaded the disc to make sure it works... but I've played (and never beat) most of the games on the disc. This one was a rare craigslist uber-find: I paid $15 for this and 3 other games, kept Zelda and then turned around and sold the other 3 for... wait for it... $15 :D
I really want to play all of these again (or first time, Majora) on Wii I play almost all my GCN on Wii... GameCube native resolution and HDTV's is a sad, jaggy mess, but the time it takes to run through a Zelda game means I need to be committed to it for the long haul. And some things, like, well, real life, can't wait on 40 hour games anymore.
When I'm old, I'll be the grandpa that just plays games all day. I swear, my grandkids will have to ask ME to put down the controller and come play outside!
Shut up! Grandpa has to save Hyrule... again... get off my lawn before the Stalfos get you!
1139
7.7
0
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - GameCube
STATUS: 50% complete
Will replay from the start when I get back to it. LOVE the game, everything about it is perfection. Best Zelda I've ever played, but of course I have TP sitting unplayed. We'll see.
Will replay from the start when I get back to it. LOVE the game, everything about it is perfection. Best Zelda I've ever played, but of course I have TP sitting unplayed. We'll see.
voodoozen's rating:
29
6.1
0
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - GameCube
STATUS: 50% complete.
[July 2011] Turns out this is just an arcade-style beat 'em up, based on LotR, I missed that somehow when I picked this up. Doesn't mean it's bad or anything, but not quite what I was expecting... Still not sure how the controls work... seems like I shoulda spent a little time with the manual to figure out what I'm doing first. Graphics are good, and I bet this would be awesome in co-op, but it goes back on the shelf until I get through a few other (re: fun) games first.
[July 2011] Turns out this is just an arcade-style beat 'em up, based on LotR, I missed that somehow when I picked this up. Doesn't mean it's bad or anything, but not quite what I was expecting... Still not sure how the controls work... seems like I shoulda spent a little time with the manual to figure out what I'm doing first. Graphics are good, and I bet this would be awesome in co-op, but it goes back on the shelf until I get through a few other (re: fun) games first.
voodoozen's rating:
467
7.2
0
Luigi's Mansion - GameCube
STATUS: Finished
TIME TO BEAT:6h30m
Luigi kicked off the Gamecube as Nintendo's first mascot title on the new console... and sadly has yet to return as a headliner again. Why? Well, probably because for what it *could* have accomplished, Luigi's Mansion fell flat at every turn. I think all of us got excited at the thought of finally being the green Mario Brother, but this game just wasn't good enough to inspire another lead role for 'Wigi for another decade -and I'm still not sure the upcoming 3DS game will be good enough to overwrite the sins of the mediocre GCN original, Ninty tends to stay painfully close to the formula in sequels and reboots.
So LM WAS a launch title, and because of that I can forgive a few faults. The graphics are respectable if unfortunately aliased and blocky (the game has no progressive scan option), but the mansion's art style and color palette save the visuals. Honestly, if this game were slightly up-res'd and given even a 480P treatment, they'd look good... but it isn't and it doesn't. +1 for a solid frame rate, though.
I loved the cartoonish creepiness of the mansion and it's spooky inhabitants, and the animations were definitely very good. It's a shame that another (and non-first party Nintendo) launch game, Rouge Leader, is a true showpiece for the system with stunning graphics and even smoother animations. Still, Luigi's Mansion is pleasing enough and showed a significant leap over the N64.
The game is short, I beat it in 6.5 hours and that was with some significant (and frustratingly unnecessary) backtracking for all the secrets and unlockables- and there's not many. On a second play through I bet I could best this in under 3 hours and no saves... well, that is if I could stomach the crappy controls.
You see, . Luigi moves with the left stick and aims with the right C-stick, a scheme that works much better for first person or top-down views. The camera is in full 3rd person, but depending on how much space you have and the type of enemy you face, the vacuum auto aims, breaking the whole C-stick usefulness and making re-aiming at another target infuriating. You'll spend plenty of time manipulating the control stick and begging Wigi to "just turn around!", more than will hitting your mark on the first try. My brain could never grasp why they chose to have you aim left/right by aiming left/right, but reversed the Y axis and made up down and vice versa. It sucks, and it never gets intuitive throughout the game.
Overall I liked the game, and I do hope there's a proper sequel someday- we need more Luigi!- but lose the tight spaces, janky aiming and useless filler caused by the locked doors has before pressing the discs, NIntnedo.
Make this more like a 3rd person Castlevania meets Ghostbusters and you've got a million dollar franchise.
TIME TO BEAT:6h30m
Luigi kicked off the Gamecube as Nintendo's first mascot title on the new console... and sadly has yet to return as a headliner again. Why? Well, probably because for what it *could* have accomplished, Luigi's Mansion fell flat at every turn. I think all of us got excited at the thought of finally being the green Mario Brother, but this game just wasn't good enough to inspire another lead role for 'Wigi for another decade -and I'm still not sure the upcoming 3DS game will be good enough to overwrite the sins of the mediocre GCN original, Ninty tends to stay painfully close to the formula in sequels and reboots.
You should be afraid, Luigi... because your controls are TERRIFYING
So LM WAS a launch title, and because of that I can forgive a few faults. The graphics are respectable if unfortunately aliased and blocky (the game has no progressive scan option), but the mansion's art style and color palette save the visuals. Honestly, if this game were slightly up-res'd and given even a 480P treatment, they'd look good... but it isn't and it doesn't. +1 for a solid frame rate, though.
I loved the cartoonish creepiness of the mansion and it's spooky inhabitants, and the animations were definitely very good. It's a shame that another (and non-first party Nintendo) launch game, Rouge Leader, is a true showpiece for the system with stunning graphics and even smoother animations. Still, Luigi's Mansion is pleasing enough and showed a significant leap over the N64.
The game is short, I beat it in 6.5 hours and that was with some significant (and frustratingly unnecessary) backtracking for all the secrets and unlockables- and there's not many. On a second play through I bet I could best this in under 3 hours and no saves... well, that is if I could stomach the crappy controls.
You see, . Luigi moves with the left stick and aims with the right C-stick, a scheme that works much better for first person or top-down views. The camera is in full 3rd person, but depending on how much space you have and the type of enemy you face, the vacuum auto aims, breaking the whole C-stick usefulness and making re-aiming at another target infuriating. You'll spend plenty of time manipulating the control stick and begging Wigi to "just turn around!", more than will hitting your mark on the first try. My brain could never grasp why they chose to have you aim left/right by aiming left/right, but reversed the Y axis and made up down and vice versa. It sucks, and it never gets intuitive throughout the game.
Overall I liked the game, and I do hope there's a proper sequel someday- we need more Luigi!- but lose the tight spaces, janky aiming and useless filler caused by the locked doors has before pressing the discs, NIntnedo.
Make this more like a 3rd person Castlevania meets Ghostbusters and you've got a million dollar franchise.
voodoozen's rating:
9
6.2
0
Madden NFL 2005 - GameCube
STATUS: Occasional play.
Another one you can't technically finish. You can play seasons or whatever, but there's no "complete" on a football game. Nice to pick up just for fun, though. Hard to believe the graphics are as nice as they are for a game from a gen ago!
Another one you can't technically finish. You can play seasons or whatever, but there's no "complete" on a football game. Nice to pick up just for fun, though. Hard to believe the graphics are as nice as they are for a game from a gen ago!
voodoozen's rating:
133
6.9
0
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour - GameCube
STATUS: Occasional Play
You can't technically beat this one, can you? I haven't gotten far enough to find out.
You can't technically beat this one, can you? I haven't gotten far enough to find out.
21
6.8
0
Medal of Honor: Frontline - GameCube
STATUS: Played first level.
Somehow I ended up with two copies of this, so I sold one... and I suck at FPS so bad I might never finish the copy I kept.
Somehow I ended up with two copies of this, so I sold one... and I suck at FPS so bad I might never finish the copy I kept.
797
7.7
0
Metroid Prime - GameCube
STATUS: Finished
TIME TO BEAT: 30h
[Sept 2010] Love this game. Took me forever to get used to the controls as I'm not a FPS (or FPA, whatever) guy, but it was a phenomenal experience overall.
As I've mentioned before, I've played every non-DS Metroid ever, and it's easily my favorite game series ever. I didn't have a GameCube until long after Prime 1 & 2 had released, so I'd missed the games entirely. The last Metroid I'd played beforehand was Fusion (an awesome game in it's own right) and I did another run through of Super on SNES just before booting MP1. So I jumped (literally, in this case) from the definition of perfect 2D Metroids onto the deck of the frigate. From the first moment the camera paned around Samus, the landing dock and Tallon IV, I was in stunned awe.
The game is an obvious love letter to Super Metroid. It's a very similar setup, feel and experience, just presented in true next generational fashion. For example,
* Dialog? No, thanks. "GO! Explore".
* Samus feels vulnerable and weak in the beginning, and you really struggle from time to time until leveling up weapons and health. By the end you're a certified killa, and as the player you feel every piece of your power grow, little by little
* Back tracking. Boy, do you backtrack, but just as in Super you *have* to explore in order move on.
My Favorite reference:
*Crashed ship? Crashed ship.
And so much great new stuff to enjoy
* Visors
* Story told through scans rather than narrative (or your imagination)
* New protagonist, but the story is still tied to our friendly neighborhood Space Pirates
Some minor nitpicks:
* I strongly dislike first person. Things felt more, I don't know, 'natural?' when you hit morph ball mode and you could view the world in third person. It's immersive for sure, but challenging for people like me who didn't cut our teeth on Halo and CoD.
* Morph ball point of view aside, the controls while rolling around can be super touchy and feel slightly forced. Partially due to the 3D environment I'm sure, but things just don't feel as tight as they did in the 2D games
* Weight. Samus feels like she's lost her agility and spring. Getting up and down platforms quickly can be a task rather than an advantage against your enemies.
But overall, I can't find much to NOT love about MP1. Everything you could ever want in a Metroid game is here, with a spectacular presentation, grandiose levels that ooze polish and just enough familiarity to make everything work within the storied history this franchise has. Next game up is MP2.
TIME TO BEAT: 30h
[Sept 2010] Love this game. Took me forever to get used to the controls as I'm not a FPS (or FPA, whatever) guy, but it was a phenomenal experience overall.
As I've mentioned before, I've played every non-DS Metroid ever, and it's easily my favorite game series ever. I didn't have a GameCube until long after Prime 1 & 2 had released, so I'd missed the games entirely. The last Metroid I'd played beforehand was Fusion (an awesome game in it's own right) and I did another run through of Super on SNES just before booting MP1. So I jumped (literally, in this case) from the definition of perfect 2D Metroids onto the deck of the frigate. From the first moment the camera paned around Samus, the landing dock and Tallon IV, I was in stunned awe.
Love at first boss
The game is an obvious love letter to Super Metroid. It's a very similar setup, feel and experience, just presented in true next generational fashion. For example,
* Dialog? No, thanks. "GO! Explore".
* Samus feels vulnerable and weak in the beginning, and you really struggle from time to time until leveling up weapons and health. By the end you're a certified killa, and as the player you feel every piece of your power grow, little by little
* Back tracking. Boy, do you backtrack, but just as in Super you *have* to explore in order move on.
My Favorite reference:
*Crashed ship? Crashed ship.
And so much great new stuff to enjoy
* Visors
* Story told through scans rather than narrative (or your imagination)
* New protagonist, but the story is still tied to our friendly neighborhood Space Pirates
Some minor nitpicks:
* I strongly dislike first person. Things felt more, I don't know, 'natural?' when you hit morph ball mode and you could view the world in third person. It's immersive for sure, but challenging for people like me who didn't cut our teeth on Halo and CoD.
* Morph ball point of view aside, the controls while rolling around can be super touchy and feel slightly forced. Partially due to the 3D environment I'm sure, but things just don't feel as tight as they did in the 2D games
* Weight. Samus feels like she's lost her agility and spring. Getting up and down platforms quickly can be a task rather than an advantage against your enemies.
But overall, I can't find much to NOT love about MP1. Everything you could ever want in a Metroid game is here, with a spectacular presentation, grandiose levels that ooze polish and just enough familiarity to make everything work within the storied history this franchise has. Next game up is MP2.
voodoozen's rating:
410
7.5
0
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - GameCube
STATUS: Finished
TIME TO BEAT: 23h
[JAN 2011] I adore this game, just not quite as much as MP1. Biggest complaint is again, controls, but the overall game is rock solid, and firmly cements the "Zelda in Space" formula for the Prime series. Let's dig in!
Shorter review here than MP1, but in essence the game starts off exactly where 1 left you- you've nearly saved the world from one plot to use Metroids as bio weapons, and you're on to follow the baddies and yet again save the universe.
Which reminds me, somehow Samus manages to save the universe by blowing up entire planets. That's odd, no?
Good Things:
*First and foremost: GRAPHICS ARE AMAZING. Maybe the best in the series. Detail is everywhere.
* Light/Dark Aether. The feeling of ever-impending dread and necessity to keep moving is a great tension device in this game
* Epic bosses. I can't say enough about the bosses, they're big, ugly and tough. Amazing, unbelievable boss battles to be had here
* Puzzles. I like solving puzzles in Metroid, and this game did a great job of integrating small obstacles that you had to work through without just blasting everything to hell and moving on.
* No Chozo- I like the Chozo and all, but it's nice to see a different ancient race of giant, intellectual non-humanoid beings for a change.
But where the game drags down is sadly it's overuse of the mechanics new to this piece of the trilogy. Going from light/dark/light/dark is a PITA after a while, especially when you only needed to be on the other side for 30 seconds, but as soon as you return all the enemies have regenerated and you're left to blast away for 15 minutes trying to get to your intended destination. There's SO much time spent in morphball too, but with little accuracy to your movement, especially jumps. People are right to complain about the boss fights in morph ball mode, they suck.... and you feel out of control when the camera starts shifting about and you have to instantly adjust your strategy because you can't see where you were going.
All in all MP2 solidified my love of the whole Prime series, and encouraged me to buy Trilogy for Wii - before I had even finished MP3 AND despite already owning all the games in their original formats. Hoping my next playthrough makes fonder memories.
side note: I didn't feel overly remorseful when I traded my copy for Mario Sunshine :)
TIME TO BEAT: 23h
[JAN 2011] I adore this game, just not quite as much as MP1. Biggest complaint is again, controls, but the overall game is rock solid, and firmly cements the "Zelda in Space" formula for the Prime series. Let's dig in!
Shorter review here than MP1, but in essence the game starts off exactly where 1 left you- you've nearly saved the world from one plot to use Metroids as bio weapons, and you're on to follow the baddies and yet again save the universe.
Which reminds me, somehow Samus manages to save the universe by blowing up entire planets. That's odd, no?
Good Things:
*First and foremost: GRAPHICS ARE AMAZING. Maybe the best in the series. Detail is everywhere.
* Light/Dark Aether. The feeling of ever-impending dread and necessity to keep moving is a great tension device in this game
* Epic bosses. I can't say enough about the bosses, they're big, ugly and tough. Amazing, unbelievable boss battles to be had here
* Puzzles. I like solving puzzles in Metroid, and this game did a great job of integrating small obstacles that you had to work through without just blasting everything to hell and moving on.
* No Chozo- I like the Chozo and all, but it's nice to see a different ancient race of giant, intellectual non-humanoid beings for a change.
"Space Temple", oops, I mean "Sanctuary Fortress"
But where the game drags down is sadly it's overuse of the mechanics new to this piece of the trilogy. Going from light/dark/light/dark is a PITA after a while, especially when you only needed to be on the other side for 30 seconds, but as soon as you return all the enemies have regenerated and you're left to blast away for 15 minutes trying to get to your intended destination. There's SO much time spent in morphball too, but with little accuracy to your movement, especially jumps. People are right to complain about the boss fights in morph ball mode, they suck.... and you feel out of control when the camera starts shifting about and you have to instantly adjust your strategy because you can't see where you were going.
All in all MP2 solidified my love of the whole Prime series, and encouraged me to buy Trilogy for Wii - before I had even finished MP3 AND despite already owning all the games in their original formats. Hoping my next playthrough makes fonder memories.
side note: I didn't feel overly remorseful when I traded my copy for Mario Sunshine :)
voodoozen's rating:
3
6.7
0
NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup - GameCube
Status: Occasional Play
Although you can technically beat this one, I find myself just using it as a time waster to run a few laps around the track. Graphics are ok, and the AI is servicable, but as a racing simulator it falls short. And compared to pick-up-and-play racers like Mario Kart... it's not even close.
Controls feel a bit sloppy (maybe just too touchy for me), but the tracks are presented well and the customization at your fingertips is quite nice. I also like the ability to play more than just NASCAR tracks and cars, and the trucks are especially fun. Worth the $10 you'll pay for it, and it serves as a good hold over until we get a real NASCAR sim on a Nintendo platform.
Although you can technically beat this one, I find myself just using it as a time waster to run a few laps around the track. Graphics are ok, and the AI is servicable, but as a racing simulator it falls short. And compared to pick-up-and-play racers like Mario Kart... it's not even close.
Controls feel a bit sloppy (maybe just too touchy for me), but the tracks are presented well and the customization at your fingertips is quite nice. I also like the ability to play more than just NASCAR tracks and cars, and the trucks are especially fun. Worth the $10 you'll pay for it, and it serves as a good hold over until we get a real NASCAR sim on a Nintendo platform.
voodoozen's rating:
647
8
0
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - GameCube
STATUS: Unplayed
TIME TO BEAT:
Managed to find this one in perfect condition with inserts and everything. Woot!
TIME TO BEAT:
Managed to find this one in perfect condition with inserts and everything. Woot!
4
7.5
0
Piglet's Big Game - GameCube
STATUS: Finished
TIME TO BEAT: 15h
You know, these Pooh games are quite fun! And, man, so adorable to boot! Roo's dream is a beautiful, color-crayon world created from crate paper and cardboard. Owl's house and library are equally as beautif... hang on... what the heck is happening here in Owl's dream? Why is it so dark? What's going on with these fixed camera angles, scary looking new woozles and eerie music?
WHOA! Eeyore's dreaming of a spooky graveyard, and lives in a castle that's barely lit? This isn't a kids game!
Seriously, once you get to Owl and Eeyore's levels, you replace Piglet with Leon and Woozles with infected zombies and you have RE1. You'd barely have to change the rooms, they're both set in a deserted mansion. Even the puzzles are similar; slide a statue around into the correct position, a key falls from the ceiling or a secret panel opens. Hearing heffalumps and woozles laughing just offscreen but not being able to see them isn't so bad when you're outside in Pooh's candy land, but inside a dark mansion with tilted camera angles? Creepy.
If I'm being honest, I liked the lite-horror aspect, but it's not really very "Pooh"... Doesn't fit the universe very well.
Overall, the game doesn't flow quite as well as Pooh's Rumbly Tumbly Adventure- the loading screens take FOREVER to load (Gamcube was apparently slower than PS2 for this game), and that's a bit of a problem. This game took me 15 hours or so to beat, and I guarantee that at least 5 of those hours were loading screens. No kidding here, it was so bad in some areas (in particular, the backtracking parts in Tigger's dream) that I was averaging 1 minute of playtime for every 2 minutes of loading screen.
Thanks to the near-useless power ups and ever-increasing complexity required to scare enemies, by the end you have to be lightning fast and laser precise with the controls to avoid having Piglet constantly scared, running off screen and forcing you to restart the level - after yet another loading screen- which takes some of the fun out of the game and makes it all but impossible for younger gamers to patiently sit through. I managed to stick with it, but I'd bet most gamers under 10 would get frustrated and quit long before seeing the end.
Doubt I'll replay this one, it's a solid game and packs a lot of cool concepts and art styles into the levels, but the controls weren't as tight as they needed to be, and the loading screen moved glacially slow...
TIME TO BEAT: 15h
You know, these Pooh games are quite fun! And, man, so adorable to boot! Roo's dream is a beautiful, color-crayon world created from crate paper and cardboard. Owl's house and library are equally as beautif... hang on... what the heck is happening here in Owl's dream? Why is it so dark? What's going on with these fixed camera angles, scary looking new woozles and eerie music?
Why are there bottomless pits in the library? This is a kids game!
WHOA! Eeyore's dreaming of a spooky graveyard, and lives in a castle that's barely lit? This isn't a kids game!
That's straight up Resident Evil inspired
Seriously, once you get to Owl and Eeyore's levels, you replace Piglet with Leon and Woozles with infected zombies and you have RE1. You'd barely have to change the rooms, they're both set in a deserted mansion. Even the puzzles are similar; slide a statue around into the correct position, a key falls from the ceiling or a secret panel opens. Hearing heffalumps and woozles laughing just offscreen but not being able to see them isn't so bad when you're outside in Pooh's candy land, but inside a dark mansion with tilted camera angles? Creepy.
If I'm being honest, I liked the lite-horror aspect, but it's not really very "Pooh"... Doesn't fit the universe very well.
Overall, the game doesn't flow quite as well as Pooh's Rumbly Tumbly Adventure- the loading screens take FOREVER to load (Gamcube was apparently slower than PS2 for this game), and that's a bit of a problem. This game took me 15 hours or so to beat, and I guarantee that at least 5 of those hours were loading screens. No kidding here, it was so bad in some areas (in particular, the backtracking parts in Tigger's dream) that I was averaging 1 minute of playtime for every 2 minutes of loading screen.
Thanks to the near-useless power ups and ever-increasing complexity required to scare enemies, by the end you have to be lightning fast and laser precise with the controls to avoid having Piglet constantly scared, running off screen and forcing you to restart the level - after yet another loading screen- which takes some of the fun out of the game and makes it all but impossible for younger gamers to patiently sit through. I managed to stick with it, but I'd bet most gamers under 10 would get frustrated and quit long before seeing the end.
Doubt I'll replay this one, it's a solid game and packs a lot of cool concepts and art styles into the levels, but the controls weren't as tight as they needed to be, and the loading screen moved glacially slow...
Don't be frightened, Piglet. All in all this game is good!
voodoozen's rating:
346
7.5
0
Resident Evil 0 - GameCube
STATUS: Finished
TIME TO BEAT: 17h
[Feb 2010] You might say this was a 'gateway game' for me- I had never played a Survival Horror game before this, but once I started I was hooked. Because of the sheer awesome in this game I've ended up playing almost every RE game out there now... And some are better then RE0, but the graphics, atmosphere, scares in Zero, they're all so fan-damn-tastic, there's very little to complain about.
Not being used to the genre, I spent days (DAYS!) on the train level... hesitating when I had to open doors, scared to backtrack, burning through bullets and saves as I was terrifyingly unaware that ammo and ink ribbons are scarce. So when the train level ended spectacularly, I assumed I was near the end and had won (I'd put in 10 hours at that point). Not even close! Man, I wanna replay this game, but so many good games to visit first. Plus I have Umbrella Chronicles on Wii to help ease the pain.
Like most, I don't particularly care for the 'tank-like' way your characters control, and not being able to move and shoot at the same time is almost criminal (even if it's somewhat more realistic). I'd also appreciate the ability to aim with more accuracy... if I was standing 3 feet from the walking undead I betcha I'd be aiming for the head and not the torso, not so in the RE universe!
Looking past the obvious limitations due to the control scheme, nearly everything else shows how high the production values were for this game, and how much effort the developers put into every detail. The 'drop' system for items is perfect, and absolutely how a RE game SHOULD be- can't carry any more items? drop it where you stand, and come back for it later. Swapping between characters is also done amazingly well, and never becomes a chore like the babysitting ('escort', whatever...) levels in RE4. Solving puzzles with two characters in separate areas adds a level of challenge. Puzzles in general are quite good in this game, and while maybe not the most challenging brain teasers you'll encounter in video gaming, they can be pretty tough. looking at you, lighter puzzle
Difficulty? It's here for sure. Bullets are definitely rare, save points and ink ribbons are far apart, zombies are plentiful and the occasional unexpected occurrence of nasties like leechmen and the animal BOWs are tough, especially as they typically appear when you're running short on ammo and health. They call it "Survival" horror for a reason...
The game does a great job of really forcing the player to use some strategy. When you're playing as Rebecca you get a real sense of vulnerability, her health and weapons just aren't as strong as Billy's- but you HAVE to use her, and when you're all alone, no Billy to zap to... tension goes to 10.
Overall, I'm glad I played this one before REmake. I really believe that if this had been the first revamped RE game people were introduced to on the GC, the love for it would have been far stronger. The music, the fear looming at every turn, the voice acting, the bosses... all very, very good and easily on par with the rest of the series.
Last word: Billy is hands down the best RE character this side of Leon Kennedy.
TIME TO BEAT: 17h
[Feb 2010] You might say this was a 'gateway game' for me- I had never played a Survival Horror game before this, but once I started I was hooked. Because of the sheer awesome in this game I've ended up playing almost every RE game out there now... And some are better then RE0, but the graphics, atmosphere, scares in Zero, they're all so fan-damn-tastic, there's very little to complain about.
Not being used to the genre, I spent days (DAYS!) on the train level... hesitating when I had to open doors, scared to backtrack, burning through bullets and saves as I was terrifyingly unaware that ammo and ink ribbons are scarce. So when the train level ended spectacularly, I assumed I was near the end and had won (I'd put in 10 hours at that point). Not even close! Man, I wanna replay this game, but so many good games to visit first. Plus I have Umbrella Chronicles on Wii to help ease the pain.
No ticket? Brains will do
Like most, I don't particularly care for the 'tank-like' way your characters control, and not being able to move and shoot at the same time is almost criminal (even if it's somewhat more realistic). I'd also appreciate the ability to aim with more accuracy... if I was standing 3 feet from the walking undead I betcha I'd be aiming for the head and not the torso, not so in the RE universe!
Looking past the obvious limitations due to the control scheme, nearly everything else shows how high the production values were for this game, and how much effort the developers put into every detail. The 'drop' system for items is perfect, and absolutely how a RE game SHOULD be- can't carry any more items? drop it where you stand, and come back for it later. Swapping between characters is also done amazingly well, and never becomes a chore like the babysitting ('escort', whatever...) levels in RE4. Solving puzzles with two characters in separate areas adds a level of challenge. Puzzles in general are quite good in this game, and while maybe not the most challenging brain teasers you'll encounter in video gaming, they can be pretty tough. looking at you, lighter puzzle
Difficulty? It's here for sure. Bullets are definitely rare, save points and ink ribbons are far apart, zombies are plentiful and the occasional unexpected occurrence of nasties like leechmen and the animal BOWs are tough, especially as they typically appear when you're running short on ammo and health. They call it "Survival" horror for a reason...
The game does a great job of really forcing the player to use some strategy. When you're playing as Rebecca you get a real sense of vulnerability, her health and weapons just aren't as strong as Billy's- but you HAVE to use her, and when you're all alone, no Billy to zap to... tension goes to 10.
Overall, I'm glad I played this one before REmake. I really believe that if this had been the first revamped RE game people were introduced to on the GC, the love for it would have been far stronger. The music, the fear looming at every turn, the voice acting, the bosses... all very, very good and easily on par with the rest of the series.
Last word: Billy is hands down the best RE character this side of Leon Kennedy.
voodoozen's rating:
529
8.4
0
Resident Evil - GameCube
STATUS: Finished
TIME TO BEAT: 12h
[June 2011] Amazing. There's a reason so many people have such a strong love for REmake... it's perfect. I limited myself to glancing through a walk through to help me get through this one in a reasonable amount of time (decided to beat it in one weekend), but even with the crutch helping me, the scares were AWESOME, the action was perfect, and the game was hard. Plus I had the lights dimmed, the surround sound up and was playing late at night...
What I like:
* Scary games should be scary. You should be hesitating to make every turn, open the next door, go over to the next screen... and REmake delivers. Walking outside into the graveyard for the first time, I did NOT want to go any further. turns out, there's nothing out there! lol. And when you put the first death mask on the statue and the camera shifts into the cut scene, the coffin slings around, blood spraying everywhere, the remaining chains rattling and struggling to stay intact... nearly soiled myself.
* Zombies. Lots of zombies here, not nearly as many bugs/frogs/animals as Zero.
* Variety of environments. Yeah, you're in a scary old mansion ala any Scooby Doo cartoon plot, but you're also outside, in a cabin, in a cave, in a lab... and there's not much light, everything in the distance is obscured by fog... you're on your own in a freaky place, no matter WHERE you are in the game.
* Something is ALWAYS after you. Even if you don't know it yet, you'll find out soon enough that the place you thought was safe, well, that's changed now. Run, fool! holy crap at Lisa Trevor. I had no idea what was going on when she was involved, things got foggy, and the more you find out about her... just, dayum. Scariest video game character ever, maybe?
* Wesker. 'Nough said.
Things I could have done without:
* Crimson heads. I know, 'it adds tension and difficulty, you have to be on your toes'... I didn't need 'em. suffice to say I burned everything I couldn't head shot, baby.
* I think, if this were real, I would do everything possible to hold WAY more items like, well, my life depended on it. I'd stuff things in my socks, my belt, up my 'prison purse', wherever man. I'm in this to live, bringing 5 items only? Nuh-uh.
* Dare I say there was a little *too much* ammo? I never ran out of bullets, but then again I probably played on easy mode.
*Game was pretty short looking back, made longer only because I didn't know where to go. Speed running I bet I could best this in 3 hours flat. I don't think I could do that for Zero or RE:4
Wish I had the time to play this again sans walk through, but as with RE:0, I think I'll do the easy way and just go through RE:UC to get my fix. Adios, until I've got another free weekend :)
TIME TO BEAT: 12h
[June 2011] Amazing. There's a reason so many people have such a strong love for REmake... it's perfect. I limited myself to glancing through a walk through to help me get through this one in a reasonable amount of time (decided to beat it in one weekend), but even with the crutch helping me, the scares were AWESOME, the action was perfect, and the game was hard. Plus I had the lights dimmed, the surround sound up and was playing late at night...
What I like:
* Scary games should be scary. You should be hesitating to make every turn, open the next door, go over to the next screen... and REmake delivers. Walking outside into the graveyard for the first time, I did NOT want to go any further. turns out, there's nothing out there! lol. And when you put the first death mask on the statue and the camera shifts into the cut scene, the coffin slings around, blood spraying everywhere, the remaining chains rattling and struggling to stay intact... nearly soiled myself.
* Zombies. Lots of zombies here, not nearly as many bugs/frogs/animals as Zero.
* Variety of environments. Yeah, you're in a scary old mansion ala any Scooby Doo cartoon plot, but you're also outside, in a cabin, in a cave, in a lab... and there's not much light, everything in the distance is obscured by fog... you're on your own in a freaky place, no matter WHERE you are in the game.
* Something is ALWAYS after you. Even if you don't know it yet, you'll find out soon enough that the place you thought was safe, well, that's changed now. Run, fool! holy crap at Lisa Trevor. I had no idea what was going on when she was involved, things got foggy, and the more you find out about her... just, dayum. Scariest video game character ever, maybe?
* Wesker. 'Nough said.
Things I could have done without:
* Crimson heads. I know, 'it adds tension and difficulty, you have to be on your toes'... I didn't need 'em. suffice to say I burned everything I couldn't head shot, baby.
* I think, if this were real, I would do everything possible to hold WAY more items like, well, my life depended on it. I'd stuff things in my socks, my belt, up my 'prison purse', wherever man. I'm in this to live, bringing 5 items only? Nuh-uh.
* Dare I say there was a little *too much* ammo? I never ran out of bullets, but then again I probably played on easy mode.
*Game was pretty short looking back, made longer only because I didn't know where to go. Speed running I bet I could best this in 3 hours flat. I don't think I could do that for Zero or RE:4
Wish I had the time to play this again sans walk through, but as with RE:0, I think I'll do the easy way and just go through RE:UC to get my fix. Adios, until I've got another free weekend :)
voodoozen's rating:
16
8.6
0
STATUS: Finished
TIME TO BEAT: 15h
[Oct 2010] Wonder what it would be like to play an episode of Scooby, but with platforming and boss battles? Try this! What a fun ride- will definitely play this one again, I'm sure.
Only complaint is the less than accurate jumping controls (rather important in a platformer), and a lack of progressive scan mode. Otherwise, it's a very good game! I can't believe I liked it as much as I did.
The whole game is really well put together; levels flow nicely, the other members of the gang hop in and out of the story appropriately, and the villains you run into are all right out of the old cartoon show.
Adding to the authenticity, save for Shaggy and Scooby all of the characters were voiced by the original actors, and best of all: Don Knots. THE Don Knots lent his voice talents to this game, which automatically gives the game an extra 10 points :) Sound effects are true to the original episodes, and the laugh track is a nice touch as well. Stereo sound only, no surround, but I can forgive that.
You only play as Scooby, with the occasional help from the other characters. Levels are lengthy and can be pretty challenging. There's never an over-reliance on any one particular mechanic (like elevators or warps), as you progress levels you find a new gimmick or two to keep you interested- which is a welcome change of pace compared to the majority of licensed games
Some folks asked me what the game compares to, and I'd have to say Mario64, Banjo-Kazooie or maybe Conker's BFD. So yeah, it's strengths are leftover from the 64-bit platforming era, but that doesn't mean it's dated. It's a great little platformer with plenty to like, and for the Scooby fan it's borderline perfection.
TIME TO BEAT: 15h
[Oct 2010] Wonder what it would be like to play an episode of Scooby, but with platforming and boss battles? Try this! What a fun ride- will definitely play this one again, I'm sure.
The gang's all here! (Just not for long, quitters)
Only complaint is the less than accurate jumping controls (rather important in a platformer), and a lack of progressive scan mode. Otherwise, it's a very good game! I can't believe I liked it as much as I did.
The whole game is really well put together; levels flow nicely, the other members of the gang hop in and out of the story appropriately, and the villains you run into are all right out of the old cartoon show.
Adding to the authenticity, save for Shaggy and Scooby all of the characters were voiced by the original actors, and best of all: Don Knots. THE Don Knots lent his voice talents to this game, which automatically gives the game an extra 10 points :) Sound effects are true to the original episodes, and the laugh track is a nice touch as well. Stereo sound only, no surround, but I can forgive that.
You only play as Scooby, with the occasional help from the other characters. Levels are lengthy and can be pretty challenging. There's never an over-reliance on any one particular mechanic (like elevators or warps), as you progress levels you find a new gimmick or two to keep you interested- which is a welcome change of pace compared to the majority of licensed games
Some folks asked me what the game compares to, and I'd have to say Mario64, Banjo-Kazooie or maybe Conker's BFD. So yeah, it's strengths are leftover from the 64-bit platforming era, but that doesn't mean it's dated. It's a great little platformer with plenty to like, and for the Scooby fan it's borderline perfection.
voodoozen's rating:
3
9
0
Scooby Doo Unmasked (GameCube) - GameCube
STATUS: Finished
TIME TO BEAT: 9h
I have to say, I really liked the old Scooby SNES title back when it was first out, it truly felt like playing an episode of the cartoon. And then... well, I loved Night of 1,000 Frights on GCN (see above), it was everything I liked about the SNES game but with 3D and voice acting.
Now that I've had a chance to play SD:U, I have to say- it's awesome- Scooby doo is 3 for 3 with me!
Graphics are nicely cel-shaded, the voice acting is good (most of the same actors came back from SD:N1KF), and the gameplay is a bit better and the jumping is improved from the first game. Add in cool new power ups (Scooby's outfits are hilarious), fairly open worlds and a challenging but-not-too-hard difficulty and you got a winner!
TIME TO BEAT: 9h
I have to say, I really liked the old Scooby SNES title back when it was first out, it truly felt like playing an episode of the cartoon. And then... well, I loved Night of 1,000 Frights on GCN (see above), it was everything I liked about the SNES game but with 3D and voice acting.
Now that I've had a chance to play SD:U, I have to say- it's awesome- Scooby doo is 3 for 3 with me!
Graphics are nicely cel-shaded, the voice acting is good (most of the same actors came back from SD:N1KF), and the gameplay is a bit better and the jumping is improved from the first game. Add in cool new power ups (Scooby's outfits are hilarious), fairly open worlds and a challenging but-not-too-hard difficulty and you got a winner!
I even love the logo splash screen!!
voodoozen's rating:
143
7.9
0
Skies of Arcadia: Legends - GameCube
STATUS: Finished
TIME TO BEAT: 64h30m
I bought this on Dreamcast back in the day and LOVED it, so when I found out it was on GCN, I was in and had to find it. I didn't want to restart this version until I have 60 hours to dedicate to it (AKA: maybe never)... then things changed a bit for me, and I suddenly had free time (exile has some advantages). Off to Pirate Isle!
SoA has all the elements of a regular RPG:
*turn based gameplay
*use experience to level up characters
*incorporate gems to learn new spells
*multiple allies to join your group
*stupid, awesome weapons
*secret items and side quests galore
But where SoA shines, the reason this game gets all 5 of my stars, is the fun, light-hearted characters and compelling, non-manga/anime storyline (outside of the anime-influenced character design). There's rarely a minute in the game where you don't feel like you're part of the team on this crazy, brave adventure. It's as though you're flying alongside the characters watching their tale unfold, the game does such a great job of keeping you engaged in the . I was pulled into the world and the story within minutes, and even after being 50+ hours into the game I still wanted to slip away every available change I had to play.
Soundtrack was top shelf, each of the themes fit the world and environments around you. They repeat for quite a while due to the game's length, so you'll probably be humming them for hours after you play. That's not all bad, the tunes are good! Supposedly the music isn't as clear as DC, they had to shrink the bitrate to fit the original 2 disk DC game onto one GCN disc. I didn't notice a difference, but some people might find it annoying... honestly, the worst it ever sounded was great to me :)
Flying and air battles are amazing, really a high water mark for RPGs for me. Mind blowing, and I'm not sure there's ever been a game that handled ship battles so well.
Graphics were stunning for their time; they're not PS2 level or even launch Gamecube level, but they don't feel dated mostly due to the cartoon-ish anime style and colorful palette.
Minor annoyances like the high encounter rate (which was lower than the original Dreamcast version, but it doesn't feel like it!). I could have done with slightly easier enemies and lower encounters, but that's not out of line with basically any other RPG.
TIME TO BEAT: 64h30m
I bought this on Dreamcast back in the day and LOVED it, so when I found out it was on GCN, I was in and had to find it. I didn't want to restart this version until I have 60 hours to dedicate to it (AKA: maybe never)... then things changed a bit for me, and I suddenly had free time (exile has some advantages). Off to Pirate Isle!
Hey! Wake up! It's time to replay this awesome game!
SoA has all the elements of a regular RPG:
*turn based gameplay
*use experience to level up characters
*incorporate gems to learn new spells
*multiple allies to join your group
*stupid, awesome weapons
*secret items and side quests galore
But where SoA shines, the reason this game gets all 5 of my stars, is the fun, light-hearted characters and compelling, non-manga/anime storyline (outside of the anime-influenced character design). There's rarely a minute in the game where you don't feel like you're part of the team on this crazy, brave adventure. It's as though you're flying alongside the characters watching their tale unfold, the game does such a great job of keeping you engaged in the . I was pulled into the world and the story within minutes, and even after being 50+ hours into the game I still wanted to slip away every available change I had to play.
Best RPG characters ever? Yep, even the old guy is cool
Soundtrack was top shelf, each of the themes fit the world and environments around you. They repeat for quite a while due to the game's length, so you'll probably be humming them for hours after you play. That's not all bad, the tunes are good! Supposedly the music isn't as clear as DC, they had to shrink the bitrate to fit the original 2 disk DC game onto one GCN disc. I didn't notice a difference, but some people might find it annoying... honestly, the worst it ever sounded was great to me :)
Flying and air battles are amazing, really a high water mark for RPGs for me. Mind blowing, and I'm not sure there's ever been a game that handled ship battles so well.
Say hello to my little friend...
Graphics were stunning for their time; they're not PS2 level or even launch Gamecube level, but they don't feel dated mostly due to the cartoon-ish anime style and colorful palette.
Minor annoyances like the high encounter rate (which was lower than the original Dreamcast version, but it doesn't feel like it!). I could have done with slightly easier enemies and lower encounters, but that's not out of line with basically any other RPG.
voodoozen's rating:
155
7.3
0
Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut - GameCube
STATUS: Finished
TIME TO BEAT: 12h
Loved this game on Dreamcast, Loved it again on Gamecube.
This is what all Sonic 3D games should be (haters who want run-run-jump-run can go cry in their furry chatrooms). Good levels, fun bosses, and the story was... good enough. It's a video game, after all. Back in 2000, I'd never played a game this big, with graphics this good and the speed- just wow. The first level starts off like a bullet train, and it's just a whirlwind ride from there.
What made this game so great for me was the epic scale of the levels. You won't forget the first time you run through Windy Valley, battles on the Egg Carrier, having to light Hidden Temple using mirrors... Some of the cheesiest dialog and wackiest plot to ever grace a video game console (the whole casino is akin to a drunken Japanese hallucination), but it's the last Sonic game that was able to bridge speed, platforming and fun- Even SA2, which came out a mere 2 years later, went off the rails into unlikable garbage and never looked back. This was the apex for the 'ol blue bullet, but what a height it was!
And I liked the Big levels. So there.
TIME TO BEAT: 12h
Loved this game on Dreamcast, Loved it again on Gamecube.
This is what all Sonic 3D games should be (haters who want run-run-jump-run can go cry in their furry chatrooms). Good levels, fun bosses, and the story was... good enough. It's a video game, after all. Back in 2000, I'd never played a game this big, with graphics this good and the speed- just wow. The first level starts off like a bullet train, and it's just a whirlwind ride from there.
Oh, hey, a dock. I'll just run towa.. WHAT THE HECK IS THAT! RUN!!
What made this game so great for me was the epic scale of the levels. You won't forget the first time you run through Windy Valley, battles on the Egg Carrier, having to light Hidden Temple using mirrors... Some of the cheesiest dialog and wackiest plot to ever grace a video game console (the whole casino is akin to a drunken Japanese hallucination), but it's the last Sonic game that was able to bridge speed, platforming and fun- Even SA2, which came out a mere 2 years later, went off the rails into unlikable garbage and never looked back. This was the apex for the 'ol blue bullet, but what a height it was!
And I liked the Big levels. So there.
voodoozen's rating:
262
7.4
0
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle - GameCube
STATUS: Finished. Sort of.
TIME TO BEAT: 10h
Beat the game, but the 'after missions' are just terrible. I hated Rouge and Knuckles levels so bad during the main quest, why the HECK would I want to do a timed piece of crap level for each again just to see the final ending?
I had to go back to find the necklace Knuckles needed to breath underwater. It was definitely NOT intuitive to find, and nowhere (NOWHERE!) did the game imply you'd need it to finish the final level of the game... nice.
Overall, I found SA:2 to be a bad copy of the first game. Might be my nostalgia goggles, but the "Sonic Friends" levels are beyond terrible. Crappy controls, played on the same levels as Sonic but without the speed to make them worthwhile, and they're all repetitive, boring fetch quests. Upside: The graphics are good, and the Sonic levels deliver that old familiar feeling of speed and need for hair-trigger reflexes in spades, which makes it a a full star higher than I would have rated it otherwise.
Fun in some areas, but I prefer SA:1 without doubt.
TIME TO BEAT: 10h
Beat the game, but the 'after missions' are just terrible. I hated Rouge and Knuckles levels so bad during the main quest, why the HECK would I want to do a timed piece of crap level for each again just to see the final ending?
I had to go back to find the necklace Knuckles needed to breath underwater. It was definitely NOT intuitive to find, and nowhere (NOWHERE!) did the game imply you'd need it to finish the final level of the game... nice.
Overall, I found SA:2 to be a bad copy of the first game. Might be my nostalgia goggles, but the "Sonic Friends" levels are beyond terrible. Crappy controls, played on the same levels as Sonic but without the speed to make them worthwhile, and they're all repetitive, boring fetch quests. Upside: The graphics are good, and the Sonic levels deliver that old familiar feeling of speed and need for hair-trigger reflexes in spades, which makes it a a full star higher than I would have rated it otherwise.
Sonic levels are great, but EVERYONE else is beyond awful
Fun in some areas, but I prefer SA:1 without doubt.
voodoozen's rating:
13
7.3
0
Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy - GameCube
STATUS: Finished
TIME TO BEAT: 22h10m
Fact: The opening menu alone is more awesome than some entire current-gen games.
I can honestly say this game is amongst the best 'undiscovered gems' I've ever played... it's part Zelda-style action game, part Metroid open exploration game, a little bit platforemer-y, has BE-A-UTIFUL color scheme & art directions, and some great music to boot.
In a nutshell: the game is stunning and challenging and fun, there's no single description for Sphinx, but I'll tackle each of the pieces that make this game so amazing individually briefly.
Setting: You're our hero Sphinx, exploring lands and areas all around a mystical, fantasy version of Ancient Egypt. The characters are all non-human; dog, bird, lizard and other anthropomorphic races make up the NPCs- and that's a good thing, the characters match the fantasy setting and carton-like landscape. Several familiar Egyptian gods make appearances in differing roles (Horus is your frien-emy, for example), which helps draw you into the quasi-real Egyptian setting.
The environment and dungeons are all huge, and I'll touch on that in a moment, but the art style really makes this game visually stunning - The gorgeous purples, blues, gold and orange all accent the atmosphere in amazing ways. Screen shots are the only way to do this justice, literally from minute 1 of the game the world comes alive with rich colors and deep tones, it's almost like a constant sunset, and when blended with the desert and pyramid settings it just oozes charm.
Gameplay-wise, like I mentioned, the game is part get-lost-and-explore ala Metroid, part puzzle adventure (Zelda) and part 3D platformer (Banjo-Kazooie). Traversing the landscape is time consuming as Sphinx doesn't move overly fast and the areas are MASSIVE, but you soon discover some fast-feet powerup areas, albeit temporary the effect helps move the travel along nicely. Swordplay is solid, and the weapons, the whole 2 of them, are fun to use and intuitive. I do wish that the game had given you more attack variety earlier, by the time you get the acid darts you're 70% through the game, and when you get the ice darts you literally have one dungeon left.
And let me just go on record and say that Jump Button is WAY better than auto jump. Forever.
Puzzles... oh the puzzles. Devilishly hard. I mean infuriatingly hard at times, and not always just because they require you to think. There's plenty of hazards that will disable certain abilities- abiliites needed to open the next piece of the puzzle. Mummy can catch fire, get electrified, smashed flat... and there's always traps & timers that, if you're not quick, will send you backtracking and starting the whole process over again to clear the hurdle.
Overall, the game gets a really solid 8.5 from me, almost a 9. I have to dock half a point for the touchy blowgun controls, and sadly the last dungeon and final boss (around the final 2 hours of the game) felt like they were super quick, out of place with the vast dungeons and puzzles of the first 90% of the game, almost like the developers got a message one morning that read: "Guys, we have to have this wrapped up by Friday. Stop what you're doing and get the final .exe to me by 5pm!". Early levels were open and took a while to complete... the last boss (before the end) was literally just "Chase me down the stairs to this arena".
On the other hand, there was no Triforce hunt at the end!
TIME TO BEAT: 22h10m
Fact: The opening menu alone is more awesome than some entire current-gen games.
I can honestly say this game is amongst the best 'undiscovered gems' I've ever played... it's part Zelda-style action game, part Metroid open exploration game, a little bit platforemer-y, has BE-A-UTIFUL color scheme & art directions, and some great music to boot.
In a nutshell: the game is stunning and challenging and fun, there's no single description for Sphinx, but I'll tackle each of the pieces that make this game so amazing individually briefly.
Setting: You're our hero Sphinx, exploring lands and areas all around a mystical, fantasy version of Ancient Egypt. The characters are all non-human; dog, bird, lizard and other anthropomorphic races make up the NPCs- and that's a good thing, the characters match the fantasy setting and carton-like landscape. Several familiar Egyptian gods make appearances in differing roles (Horus is your frien-emy, for example), which helps draw you into the quasi-real Egyptian setting.
The environment and dungeons are all huge, and I'll touch on that in a moment, but the art style really makes this game visually stunning - The gorgeous purples, blues, gold and orange all accent the atmosphere in amazing ways. Screen shots are the only way to do this justice, literally from minute 1 of the game the world comes alive with rich colors and deep tones, it's almost like a constant sunset, and when blended with the desert and pyramid settings it just oozes charm.
Seriously, the scale and beauty of the world is amazingly immersive.
Gameplay-wise, like I mentioned, the game is part get-lost-and-explore ala Metroid, part puzzle adventure (Zelda) and part 3D platformer (Banjo-Kazooie). Traversing the landscape is time consuming as Sphinx doesn't move overly fast and the areas are MASSIVE, but you soon discover some fast-feet powerup areas, albeit temporary the effect helps move the travel along nicely. Swordplay is solid, and the weapons, the whole 2 of them, are fun to use and intuitive. I do wish that the game had given you more attack variety earlier, by the time you get the acid darts you're 70% through the game, and when you get the ice darts you literally have one dungeon left.
And let me just go on record and say that Jump Button is WAY better than auto jump. Forever.
Puzzles... oh the puzzles. Devilishly hard. I mean infuriatingly hard at times, and not always just because they require you to think. There's plenty of hazards that will disable certain abilities- abiliites needed to open the next piece of the puzzle. Mummy can catch fire, get electrified, smashed flat... and there's always traps & timers that, if you're not quick, will send you backtracking and starting the whole process over again to clear the hurdle.
Overall, the game gets a really solid 8.5 from me, almost a 9. I have to dock half a point for the touchy blowgun controls, and sadly the last dungeon and final boss (around the final 2 hours of the game) felt like they were super quick, out of place with the vast dungeons and puzzles of the first 90% of the game, almost like the developers got a message one morning that read: "Guys, we have to have this wrapped up by Friday. Stop what you're doing and get the final .exe to me by 5pm!". Early levels were open and took a while to complete... the last boss (before the end) was literally just "Chase me down the stairs to this arena".
Final boss comes complete with taunting!
On the other hand, there was no Triforce hunt at the end!
voodoozen's rating:
239
7
0
Star Fox Adventures - GameCube
STATUS: Finished
TIME TO BEAT: 27h
Wasn't sure on this one for a long time, even during my play through... I like Starfox, I like Zelda and I tend to play a lot of adventure games, but seeing as this was largely panned in the game world it took me a while to come around. By the end, I saw some of those negatives coming through; controls are touchy and the endless walking/searching can be a little trying at times, but by the end I was shocked and amazed how much I fell for the charm of this game.
LIKES:
#1 the variety of the levels, landscapes and enemies.
#2 the music is just mind blowingly good, best in a Gamecube game for me and a tribute to how awesome David Wise is.
#3 the landscapes are large, open and feel like you'll really need to explore to find everything there is to see, and the game feels well done and polished Ok. Until the crappy, obviously unfinished Dragon Rock level and the final boss fight with NOT Scales but Andross, that's so transparently tacked on for the Starfox license and is just dumb when compared to the rest of the game plot
The flow of the game is solid, and even with the constant backtracking (to the Hub World) it never feels like the pace is too rushed or dragging unnecessarily just to pad the game length. If you don't come in expecting a SF64 experience all over again, you'll discover a really deep adventure experience, easily on par with the likes of Zelda in many regards. You'll like the characters you have to help, the NPCs are well developed and voiced, and the space shooter parts are magical.
I knocked one full star off of perfect because there are a few levels that are just unrealistically hard/stupid. The speeder bike things in particular are VERY annoying, the Ride-a-Dino rails shooter is absolutely terrible and there's a little too much dependence on fetch quests, but that's essentially guaranteed in 3D adventure games. Still, for the small amount I paid for this one versus the great game I got, I can't help but like SFA.
Replay? Maybe someday. But it's an amazing game and deserves more praise than it gets. Recommend? Absolutely. Find it, play it and enjoy!
TIME TO BEAT: 27h
Wasn't sure on this one for a long time, even during my play through... I like Starfox, I like Zelda and I tend to play a lot of adventure games, but seeing as this was largely panned in the game world it took me a while to come around. By the end, I saw some of those negatives coming through; controls are touchy and the endless walking/searching can be a little trying at times, but by the end I was shocked and amazed how much I fell for the charm of this game.
LIKES:
#1 the variety of the levels, landscapes and enemies.
#2 the music is just mind blowingly good, best in a Gamecube game for me and a tribute to how awesome David Wise is.
#3 the landscapes are large, open and feel like you'll really need to explore to find everything there is to see, and the game feels well done and polished Ok. Until the crappy, obviously unfinished Dragon Rock level and the final boss fight with NOT Scales but Andross, that's so transparently tacked on for the Starfox license and is just dumb when compared to the rest of the game plot
The flow of the game is solid, and even with the constant backtracking (to the Hub World) it never feels like the pace is too rushed or dragging unnecessarily just to pad the game length. If you don't come in expecting a SF64 experience all over again, you'll discover a really deep adventure experience, easily on par with the likes of Zelda in many regards. You'll like the characters you have to help, the NPCs are well developed and voiced, and the space shooter parts are magical.
Oh man, is it pretty. This was an early GCN game, and an N64 up-port to boot. Nice!
I knocked one full star off of perfect because there are a few levels that are just unrealistically hard/stupid. The speeder bike things in particular are VERY annoying, the Ride-a-Dino rails shooter is absolutely terrible and there's a little too much dependence on fetch quests, but that's essentially guaranteed in 3D adventure games. Still, for the small amount I paid for this one versus the great game I got, I can't help but like SFA.
Replay? Maybe someday. But it's an amazing game and deserves more praise than it gets. Recommend? Absolutely. Find it, play it and enjoy!
voodoozen's rating:
189
8.1
0
Star Wars: Rogue Leader - Rogue Squadron II - GameCube
STATUS: over 70% complete
This monster got hard. Started hard, got harder. Stupid game might never get beat... to the back of the bus!
This monster got hard. Started hard, got harder. Stupid game might never get beat... to the back of the bus!
voodoozen's rating:
84
7.4
0
Star Wars: Rebel Strike - Rogue Squadron III - GameCube
STATUS: Unplayed
Waiting to Finish Rogue Squadron II first. Might be a while
Waiting to Finish Rogue Squadron II first. Might be a while
Load more items (5 more in this list)
I probably would never have even picked up a Gamecube controller if it weren't for the Wii. I already owned my Wii, but stumbled into a free GCN game (NASCAR 2005) and thought "What the heck, for $10 I'll buy a controller and just see what it looks like". And it looked good, at least good enough for me to make a trip past the GCN bin during a visit to my local used game store. When I found Metroid Prime for $3.99, I decided I should probably buy it, what could I lose, right?
Exactly 10 minutes after booting that game, after picking my jaw up from the floor and changing into clean pants, I was a believer.
Since then I've been on a quest to uncover all the amazing treasures this little black box contains. I think I'm nearly done, but if there's something missing let me know!
RSS Feed