GamerWok Articles FeedGamerwokhttp://www.gamerwok.com/main/2010-07-29T17:20:45ZSquarespaceNinety Nine Nights 2 Review [Xbox 360]http://www.gamerwok.com/main/2010/7/29/ninety-nine-nights-2-review-xbox-360.htmlAmos Ngai2010-07-29T17:20:44Z2010-07-29T17:20:44ZN3 II is the Swedish Super Model that would have have taken the world by storm but three years too late.  The sequel to the first N3 is upon us and I’ll tell you up front, it’s far from the best thing I’ve played.  However, it does serve a particular purpose, ironically, the same as Melrose Place serves in the pantheon of TV shows, distraction.

Q Entertainment expertly crafted a game that mimics the more popular games in the hack and slash genre, such as Koei’s Dynasty Warrior’s series (the 90210 in our analogy), with a totally unwarranted but can be passed off as semi-entertaining entry (the Melrose Place of the continued analogy.)  The problem with hack and slashers in the vein of N3 isn’t that they aren’t fun, it’s that there needs to be more to make it stand out from the rest of the crowd.  The unfortunate thing, N3 II falls short on many levels and comes out as a mediocre game that isn’t worth more than a curious rental.

Not unlike Dynasty Warriors, you are offered a choice of heroes to take into battle.  Each of these heroes has their own intersecting story lines but it’s not as cool as you might thing.  If you’ve seen any cinematic trailers for N3 II, you would think that this game would be like starring in your own Lord of the Rings.  You would be wrong.  Not only is the story forgettable (some evil in the land, you and your friends are its only hope) the cinematic cut-scenes are only passable and have horrible lip syncing issues.  And in all honesty, I skipped over much of the story so I could make it through the game.

Gameplay is pure button mashing - although you get the choice of a few buttons this time!  Enemies are also very mindless.  They will run at you with a force to storm the gates but stop just short of you so you can line up an attack.  But all this would be forgivable if not for a few things.  These enemies are relentless and will chip away at your health, even though they do very little damage, multiply that minor damage by 100 and you will die quickly.  Add in the very cheap boss fights, lack of save points, and restarts at the beginning of a one hour long level; you best be investing in new controllers because they will fly.

There is multiplayer, but online only.  This game begs for local co-op a la Contra styled gameplay but that’s not happening.  Online consists of challenge stages that you play with a friend but no way to play the main story in co-op.  You must endure the pain alone.  If you’re thinking at this point, “At least there’s probably easy trophies/achievements in it for me.” I’m afraid you would be wrong.  It’s not that the achievements are difficult, it’s that they are tedious and monotonous.  Having to play the worse game of the summer with every character just to score 100 points isn’t worth it in my book.

Overall, there are some redeeming factors to N3 II in a way that a summer popcorn flick has.  However, if you’re not desperately looking for a distraction, I would recommend skipping this mindless romp.  Even watching four episodes of MacGyver would stimulate you more.

]]>Batman: Under The Red Hood Review [Movies]http://www.gamerwok.com/main/2010/7/28/batman-under-the-red-hood-review-movies.htmlPhil Daniels2010-07-28T17:00:15Z2010-07-28T17:00:15ZThis new story in the Batman universe is overall a decent movie. It’s fairly enjoyable, but nothing to write home about. A majority of the voices fit the character but there were defintely times when it simply was not the right voice. The Joker is the most noticable of these slight misses. The voice was well done, but was missing that trademark Joker cackle.

The soundtrack itself was not outstanding but still did a good job with timing.  This soundtrack did seem though that it matched the movie, It was brooding when it needed to be and upbeat when it needed to be. The soundtrack didn’t impose on the movie which was a positive.

From start to finish the action sequences were well done. The fights and the effects were great at keeping the show interesting. Unfortunately, the animation was a little on the subpar side toward the end. Some of the flaws with the animation were not distracting from the movie, simply poorly done compared to the quality you expect a company as large as DC, especially with one of their largest franchises. One thing that was a pleasant surprise was the amount of actual blood. I was surprised that the blood was shown literally and not just assumed. 

Second Take: Amos Ngai

If you’re a fan of the DC Animated Universe, this latest Batman story is a guaranteed buy.  This review isn’t for you.  I’m a huge nerd when it comes to the Timm-verse and this mixed arc from the comic’s “Under The Hood” storyline generally got the point across.  After the strong showing with World’s Finest and Green Lantern: First Flight, I was expecting huge things from Red Hood, especially with a storyline that was so pivital in the relevance of Batman in comics again.  It’s a wonder why they didn’t do a “HUSH” animation first and instead went directly over to “Hood”.  However, as Phil said, this one isn’t anything to write home about.  It’s a fair romp with some tense situations.  Animation was pretty good at the beginning but tapered off near the end.  This is definitely a rental for the non-fan but if you’re a diehard, then a purchase on DVD would be just fine, no need to spring for the Blu-ray version.

 

]]>GWH #204: Where We Give a Free Barlow With Every iPhonehttp://www.gamerwok.com/main/2010/7/19/gwh-204-where-we-give-a-free-barlow-with-every-iphone.htmlAmos Ngai2010-07-19T17:00:09Z2010-07-19T17:00:09ZJoin us this week as we discuss the iPhone 4 “Antenna-gate” press conference, Entourage, and the ever elusive Mr. Barlow!. All this and more on this week’s GamerWok Hour.

]]>GWH #203: Where That's Not a Knife, This is a Knife!http://www.gamerwok.com/main/2010/7/16/gwh-203-where-thats-not-a-knife-this-is-a-knife.htmlAmos Ngai2010-07-16T18:00:35Z2010-07-16T18:00:35ZJoin us as we solve Apple’s iPhone 4 antenna problems, go over some Xbox 360 Slim impressions, dish out some Hulu Plus hate, and tell you what we think about real names on the internet. All this and more on this week’s GamerWok Hour.

 

]]>How To Make Your Own XBOX360 Hard Drive 2010 Edition [DIY]http://www.gamerwok.com/main/2010/7/15/how-to-make-your-own-xbox360-hard-drive-2010-edition-diy.htmlAmos Ngai2010-07-15T18:00:59Z2010-07-15T18:00:59ZOur previous DIY Xbox 360 HDD guide has been a huge success and have saved a lot of money for a lot of readers.  However, since the original publishing of that guide, Microsoft has made some major updates to the firmware and sizes of their HDD line; which made the previous guide outdated.  After extensive testing and research on our part, we have written this new 2010 version of the guide to help you get a new 250GB Xbox360 Hard Drive for as little as $60 and a little elbow grease.  Read on to find out what you need!

Disclaimer:

We are not responsible for any damages or failures that results directly or indirectly from this mod.  You WILL NOT be banned from Xbox Live for using this mod.  You WILL void your hard drive’s warranty with this mod but NOT your Console’s.  This mod will only work with the following hard drives:

  • WD Scorpio Series BEVS/BEAS
  • WD Scorpio Blue Series BEVS/BEVT
  • WD Scorpio Black Series BEKT/BJKT
  • WD VelociRaptor Series

This mod will be able to create hard drives in the following sizes:

  • 20GB
  • 60GB
  • 120GB
  • 250GB

It is possible to use a larger hard drive but you can only use the specified drive size signature.  In other words, you can use a 500GB hard drive but you will only ever see up to 250GB as that is the largest signature file which exists.

If you need to transfer your game saves and profiles.  I suggest using a USB flash drive formatted for use on a 360.  Move your profile and game saves and restore them back to the newly hacked hard drive.  Using 360Xplorer may also work but I’ve never found the program to be all that successful and am still wary of messing with existing data outside of sanctioned means.

What You Will Need:

  • HDDHackr and Tools: You can download them HERE
  • Torx 6 and Torx 10 screw drivers or bits (you can find this at Radio Shack or your local electronic stores - Torx 6 will be the harder one to find)
  • USB Flash drive 2-4GB in size
  • 360XPlorer if you would like to read the flashed hard drives (This tutorial will not cover the use of this software)
  • A compatible 2.5” SATA Hard Drive as listed above

Proceedure:

  1. Open up the tools software kit you downloaded and install iPrep from the archive.  This will install on all versions of Windows (XP/Vista/7/32 bit or 64 bit)
  2. Replace ixDef.xml in C:\Program Files\iPrep\Resources with the one in the archive
  3. Start up iPrep and load all three of the custom firmware from the “firmware” folder
  4. If you know your SATA device ID, select it, otherwise, any will do
  5. Select your target device, this is the drive letter Windows assigned your Flash Drive when you plugged it in
  6. Make sure you select FAT32 as the format for your flash drive and then hit START
  7. Once the drive has completed formatting, open it up again in Windows Explorer
  8. Copy “hddhackr.exe” over to the root of the flash drive, no sub folders
  9. Copy the “hddss.bin” file for the correct sized hard drive to the root of the flash drive, no sub folders
  10. Shut down your PC
  11. Disconnect all your hard drives, DVD drives, CD drives from the motherboard
  12. Connect the virgin hard drive to the motherboard, make sure the power connect is plugged in as well
  13. Boot up the computer with the iPrep’ed USB drive connected (make sure USB is selected in your computer’s BIOS as the boot up device, refer to your manual if you don’t know how to change that)
  14. At the “C:\>” prompt, type “hddhackr.exe” (without the quotes)

  15. You should now see a list of your ports on the computer, and if you only left the 360 drive connected, you should only see one of the ports populated.  Select that drive by typing in the port number.

    16.  

  16. You will then be prompted to [D]ump or [F]lash the firmware.  Select Flash and type in the name of the security sector, which will be HDDSS.bin
  17. The program will say that the firmware does not match and do you want to flash it, select YES. 

    18.  

  18. You will then be asked if you would like to create partitions 0/2/3, select YES again and proceed to wait for the hard drive to be hacked. 

    19.  

  19. There is an UNDO.bin file that has been saved to your USB drive.  Make sure you hang on to that file if you ever want to return your drive to original state (as in not used in a 360 anymore.)
  20. Watch this video to understand how to take apart your 360’s hard drive enclosure.  Repeat the procedure to install your new hacked hard drive.

    21.  

  21. After your hard drive is reassembled, plug it into the 360 and have the 360 format the drive again.  If you have any profiles or game saves to transfer, you can either use a hard drive transfer cable, or you can copy back the date from the 360 formated USB drive.

That’s it!  You’re done!  Congratulations on a brand new 250GB Xbox 360 hard drive that will work with all non-slim versions of the Xbox 360 for a fraction of the price.  I’ve been using my drive for a long time after recently increased its size to a 250GB.  Install to your heart’s content and be comforted in knowing your didn’t pay Microsoft one cent more than they deserved!

If you found this article to be helpful, please feel free to comment below and share with your friends.  Remember to listen to the GamerWok Hour every week for tips like this and much more.  Find it on iTunes or subscribe to the feed HERE!

 

]]>Transformers: War For Cybertron Review [PS3]http://www.gamerwok.com/main/2010/7/14/transformers-war-for-cybertron-review-ps3.htmlJeff Clemens2010-07-14T17:00:57Z2010-07-14T17:00:57ZGames that are created from movies or classic characters have the opportunity to be great. Unfortunately more often than not they rest on the established fan base to sell the product. This game is a mix of both. When this new game from High Moon studios was announced there was a lot of excitement surrounding it. This new imagining of the early days of Cybertron has both good and bad aspects. 

The best part of this game is the story. It takes the player back to the early days of the civil war on the planet of Cybertron, showing how the war started and introducing some classic characters and how they joined the fight. The story of Megatron and his quest for power and seeing the opposite side of the Autobots and their fight against Megatron is a great prequel to the original cartoon. The story is created as its own but still manages to tie itself in with the classic stories. 

The characters in the game are relatively simple and the weapons are exactly what you would expect. There are simple types of every style of weapon. These weapons are fairly boring and none have any sort of special or interesting aspects to them. The use of the vehicles was an interesting addition as they are given their own weapons. Unfortunately the vehicles are almost too strong so using them makes the game easier and less fun. 

The design of the levels looks nice but unfortunately ever level looks exactly the same. The game looks pretty good but feels like you are playing the same levels over and over. While you are technically fighting in the same setting it would be nice if someone on Cybertron took the time to make the setting look a little different. It seems the Autobots and Decepticons were too busy fighting to make things look good. The enemies are also all the same. There are only a few models of enemies and most attack in the same way. Once you’ve figured out the strategy for the few different enemies the game gets quite easy. Thankfully for your foes you also have totally useless AI helpers. They will occasionally help out with the fight but more often then not they will keep repeating that you need to take out those enemies or some other useless banter. 

I unfortunately was unable to try the multiplayer portion of this game beyond a demo from before the games release. My Playstation decided that with an update it should no longer connect to the PSN. This is apparently an amazing part of the game that redeems all of it’s negative qualities. I can’t comment on this part of the game but with leveling up and some customization it did look like a good addition. 

Despite all the complaints about this game it was kind of fun. It isn’t something I would recommend buying at full price because it just wasn’t that fun to play. The story was good though, and running into classic characters was cool. Getting this game as a rental or bargain is definitely worth the play but it’s just not good enough for full price. 

Second Take: Amos Ngai

T:WFC has reviews as vast as the Michael Bay movies.  I believe that’s due to the affinity a person has to the franchise.  I still remember the first time I saw Bumblebee transform into a robot on the silver screen, it was as if I saw a real life Transformer.  However, T:WFC really tested my Transformers geek-cred.  The game looks decent enough, on par if not slightly better than previous Transformers outings.  But the game play was mindless and the level design was mundane.  Adding in the odd weapons restrictions (such as reloading on unlimited ammo weapons) and the unnecessary ammo box collections, it simply wasn’t all that fun.  I was able to test out the online modes over XBL and while it does remind slightly of Tribes or even, at a stretch, Team Fortress, it was only enough to truly be a distraction.  If you’re really looking for a good online experience, I suggest firing up a game of Halo or even Gears of War 2 and you will have a more enjoyable time.  Bottom line, unless you’re a die-hard Transformers fan, skip this and go read a Transformers trade paperback for the story.

 

]]>GWH #202: Where We Pity Da Foo!http://www.gamerwok.com/main/2010/7/13/gwh-202-where-we-pity-da-foo.htmlAmos Ngai2010-07-13T17:00:05Z2010-07-13T17:00:05ZWelcome to Episode 2.2 of the GamerWok Hour! This week we hammer out the top E3 announcements and Jeff and Amos discuss the last season’s TV finales.  Listen and subscribe and feel free to join us live every week at www.gamerwok.com/live and do leave us a review on iTunes as well!!



]]>A-Team (2010) Review [Movies]http://www.gamerwok.com/main/2010/7/12/a-team-2010-review-movies.htmlErla Clemens2010-07-12T16:00:58Z2010-07-12T16:00:58Z“I love it when a plan comes together!”  The words of Colonel Hannibal Smith are fitting for this Hollywood remake of the ’80s TV gem that was “The A-Team”.  Some attempts at rebooting a TV series fall flat or just plain fail, but the director of “The A-Team” movie maneuvers his way through the story well, keeping true to the original series’ humor and style without making the plot seem stale or like a simple copy.  He seems to have treated this movie like a classic car:  he doesn’t really want to change to look so he adds some polish and shine (in the form of better effects, bigger explosions, and a more modern story line) but keeps the body and framework the same.  The effect is a product that has all the appeal and nostalgia of the original, but with updated features that make it pleasing to the modern eye. 

One of the things that makes this movie work so well, is the cast.  While some of the supporting characters may seem to lack some depth, the actors that make up the main four seem to fit into their roles as though they were tailor-made for them.  Even Quintin “Rampage” Jackson (of UFC fame) manages to fill the somewhat large shoes left vacant by Mr. T. in the role of B.A. Baracus.  The role doesn’t call for a whole lot of acting chops (it’s not exactly dialogue heavy), but it does require some sense of comedic timing which Jackson displays with surprising ability.  His MMA background also doesn’t hurt in the scenes in which B.A. is doing what he does best—that is to say making the people who are unlucky enough to meet his fists sorry they woke up that morning.  Liam Neeson brings his usual skill to the role of Colonel Hannibal Smith, playing with ease the slightly cocky commander who never fails to show fierce loyalty to his squad.  Sharlto Copley and Bradley Cooper round out the four, each doing justice to the characters they portray. Copley, in both mannerisms and appearance, imitates the original character of Murdock incredibly accurately, and Cooper brings the character of Face to life, displaying again his gift for comedic acting. 

Even the style of the original is given its due in this remake.  From exploding jeeps which proceed to flip over, to the sheer ridiculousness of the situations in which the A-team finds itself, this movie pays homage to what made the original so fun to watch.  For those who haven’t seen the original, this movie may not make a lot of sense.  It might seem overdone, confusing, and just plain silly, but for fans of the original series this movie is loads of fun and a great way to experience an old classic in a new way.

]]>GWH #201: 10 Questions With JClemyhttp://www.gamerwok.com/main/2010/6/25/gwh-201-10-questions-with-jclemy.htmlAmos Ngai2010-06-25T17:00:48Z2010-06-25T17:00:48ZWelcome to season 2 of GamerWok Hour! It’s been a while but we’re back and better than ever - this week, we have some dog and rabbit action with our newest Editor, Jeff Clemens!  Listen and subscribe and feel free to join us live every week at www.gamerwok.com/live and do leave us a review on iTunes as well!!

]]>Top Ten Games That Need a Sequelhttp://www.gamerwok.com/main/2010/6/24/top-ten-games-that-need-a-sequel.htmlErla Clemens2010-06-24T17:00:46Z2010-06-24T17:00:46Z No School Like The Old SchoolA few weeks ago, GamerWok asked its readers what game most deserves a remake.  It was a real toss up between the listed contenders and of the titles that were listed, Final Fantasy won by a fair margin (pulling in 38% of all votes).  In a poll that only has enough space for four titles, it’s not very indicative of the amount of great games that can possiblely be remade or sequalized.  FatYoshi has also made a list of his favorite retro titles recently and you can see what our community thought about those choices in our forums.

This list won’t be a list of my favorite retro games, since I am in agreement with some people that certain games should stay retro and not be remade into 3D monstrocities since the potential for error is so high.  But this list will be a collection of games that I feel deserves a second take or a retooling for this generation.  I will also name a developer I feel is best suited to the task.  Read on to find out what I believe are games that sorely deserves a second life on current gen hardware.

  1. Kings/Space/Police Quest

    VGA Graphics FTW! VGA Graphics FTW!Why are adventure games dead?  Probably for the same reason casual games are on the rise.  No one has the time to invest into a “Choose Your Own Adventure” type of narrative anymore and clicking around the screen to further along a story just doesn’t intrigue.  And as we all know, lack of interest leads to lack of sales which then leads to projects canceled.  But the charm of Sierra’s line of Quest games is how immersive they were for being just a rung above text adventures.  Gaming was slim pickings back in the early 80’s but if these games were to be remade with updated graphics but holding true to the roots of puzzle solving, character comedy, and engaging stories, I am willing to bet that the Adventure games genre could be revived.

    Developer of choice: Blizzard

    Reason: Blizzard, before the World of Warcraft cash cow, was a developer that had a quirky sense of humor (Lost Vikings for example).  With its technical know-how and its attention to story and lore, they are a perfect fit.  Even though development timelines are long, they would still ship its products unlike 3D Realms!


  2. Master of Orion

    Hours of My Life...MANY Hours... Hours of My Life…MANY Hours…The grand-daddy of all 4X games (eXpand, eXplore, eXploit, eXterminate).  The last iteration of this series was in 2003 with Master of Orion 3, and probably the nail in the coffin for Infograms.  MOO3 was not well received by critics and fans and was cited to have a horrendous user interface and game breaking bugs.  Infograms were not known for its high quality of customer service and these bugs were never fixed.  But this still doesn’t change the fact that Master of Orion 2 was one of the most intense 4X strategy games I have ever played.  It’s expansionist concept, the ability to win multiple ways, and the satisfaction of being a galactic dictator made MOO2 sessions a thing of legend.  There has been a recent resurgence for these epic, long, and deep strategy games for the PC and it’s high time the king of all strategy games makes its long awaited return.

    Developer Choice: Stardock


    Reason: Stardock was responsible for the PC Strategy game of they year in 2008 - Sins of a Solar Empire.  They were very capable with Sins in blending 4X with RTS elements.  Coupled with its development support with patches and expansions, which is essential to the longivety of these games, Stardock is a no-brainer choice for taking on MOO’s reboot/sequal.


  3. HomeWorld

    Epic Space Battles! Epic Space Battles!Sierra published the first HomeWorld in 1999 and was responsible for taking the RTS model and flipping it on its head.  HomeWorld introduced players to a true, 3D, space RTS where you had to strategize on the Z axis as well as the X and Y axes.  The premise of the game featured a tale befitting of the “Space Opera” moniker and was much elobrate than what players were used to in RTS games.  The follow up HomeWorld 2 came in 2003 and was met with similar success.  For the same reason MOO redefined the 4X genre, HomeWorld redefined the space RTS.  No other RTS game has made such seamless use of the X axis since HomeWorld and the ability for ultimate scalability has been copied in many other RTSes since (Supreme Commander, World in Conflict).  I imagine a HomeWorld sequel to resemble something like Sins of a Solar Empire with a deeper single player campaign and a much more engaging story while hammering home the point that you are alone in space with no one to come to your aid.

    Developer Choice: Gas Powered Games

    Reason: This was a tough decision since either Blizzard or Stardock would have been great choices due to the depth of the narrative in the HomeWorld series but all the narrative in the world can’t save a game engine that sucks.  With its experience with massively scaled games such as Supreme Commander, they make a logical choice for taking on the grand scale HomeWorld is known to inspire.


  4. Final Fantasy 7

    Look Ma! I have three polygons for a head! Look Ma! I have three polygons for a head!Ah, the winner of our reader poll and the most requested remake ever (which can be contested).  Personally, I have NOT finished Final Fantasy 7 because I was quite late to the 32 bit console era and never got the chance to enjoy FF7 until after the PS2 was launched.  As such, I’m forever intrigued by the devote following this game has.  To be sure, the game sports a very interesting story and part of its success can be attributed to being the first 3D polygon based JRPG to hit North America.  However, because it was the first 3D JRPG, it also means that it looks like ass on a stick compared to the PS2 JRPGs.  Which is primarily the reason why I have not finished FF7 - I simply can’t stand the polygonal ball Cloud has for a hand.  It’s high time Square-Enix stop with the spin off titles and actually sit down and do its golden egg right.  Unless they are waiting for Holodeck technology to be invented, I really don’t understand why they won’t remake this title.

    Developer Choice: Square-Enix


    Reason: There’s really no reason FF7 needs to go with anyone else.  Square-Enix hasn’t been very good with its stories and battle systems as of late and its experiments with the Unreal engine hasn’t turned out all that hot.  Despite its recent track record, there is no doubt that if all FF7 needs is a graphical update (which I believe should definitely be the case) then Square-Enix is the developer I would want to do it since they did do the original and are still the best in the business.


  5. Final Fantasy Tactics

    The evolution of Battle Chess! The evolution of Battle Chess!Final Fantasy Tactics was originally released for the PlayStation 1 in North America in January 1998.  The game was styled after the tactical strategy RPGs by Atlus, namely Tactics Ogre (coincidentally, FF:T was developed by the same team that did Tactics Ogre and Ogre Battle).  What made FF:T different than the rest of the SRPGs that came out before it was Square’s focus on the story elements as well as the combat system.  They brought in Jobs/Classes from the Final Fantasy series, which basically allowed you to customize your party members whichever way you felt like playing.  Do you want a magic welding heavy knight?  You got it!  Or a dual welding, ninja jumping, Black Mage?  No Problem!  The story in FF:T was mature, not filled with lost princesses and young boys searching for crystals (there are young boys and princesses mind you).  This was a much more streamlined SRPG than previous Ogre titles as there was really only one story you progressed through.  But the whole package was done so well that it’s sad to see the “kid-ified” versions that were released for the Gameboy Advance/DS and the poor port for the PSP.

    Developer Choice: Level 5

    Reason: Level 5 brought the excellent Jeanne D’Arc to the PSP in 2007.  Although that game received much critical acclaim, it was not a market success.  Level 5 has shown that they have a healthy respect for the genre and can develop an excellent 3D engine that works perfectly in an isometric view.  They would be my first choice to do a full fledged sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics.

  6. Mech Warrior

    These boots are made for stomping! These boots are made for stomping!For the longest time during the 80’s and the early 90’s, there were really two schools of Mech design.  The Japanese mobile suits that were basically giant robotic ninjas and the North American BattleMechs that were more like bipedal tanks.  The closest reboot of the franchise came with Steel Battalion for the original Xbox.  That game featured a gigantic controller with over 40 buttons that resembled the cockpit of a Mech.  Although the price tag was considered extreme for the time ($200 USD - which isn’t much compared to Rock Band and Guitar Hero World Tour!) the game did receive critical success but only broke even in sales.  What was great about Mech Warrior was the sense that you are indeed piloting a bipedal tank and came as close to a “Mech Sim” as you could without these things actually being made in reality.  Players were made to feel like they were in a Mech training simulator and had as many instruments to watch as any advance fighter jet.  Can you imagine what could be accomplished with today’s hardware?  How can you not want this?  Three words: Metal Gear Mod!

    Developer Choice: DICE

    Reason: There hasn’t been a good arcade simulation in a long time and the folks still doing the Flight-Sims are way too hardcore to tackle a fictional sim such as Mech Warrior.  But DICE, the folks behind the awesome shooter series Battlefield, has shown that first person action is its forte and with its extensive multiplayer experience, there’s no question they will do a good job.  With Mirror’s Edge, they have shown the industry that they aren’t afraid to take risks and are capable of more than the cookie cutter shooters and a good story isn’t beyond them either.  Its experience with vehicular combat will also serve as a nice background for fast-paced mech fights.


  7. Jackal

    Watch out for those dots!! Watch out for those dots!!1986 was when Jackal graced the shores of North America.  Konami basically took the top down shooter formula, mixed in a dash of Contra, and added Jeeps to make Jackal.  There was really no story to the game, much like the rest of the 80’s action titles but the charm of this title was that it was so close to a top down shooter yet not quite.  The closest incarnation of this gameplay would be the XBLA titles Assault Heroes but that doesn’t hold the same sense of destruction as Jackal.  In a typical Jackal game, you would team up with a buddy, try and grab as many power ups as possible, and blow the living hell out of everything.  It’s hard to explain the feeling of excitement as you traversed the levels, rescuing hostages, and defeating bosses.  It wasn’t as hard as Contra was and the Konami code still worked!  Many an afternoon did I waste on this game with friends after school - good times!

    Developer Choice: Criterion Games

    Reason:  Why would I pick a company that does arcade racers to do what essentially is a shooter?  Because Criterion does racers so well and in the reimagining of Jackal (in my own mind), the game will more resemble Twisted Metal than a shooter.  Criterion’s work on the Burnout series is superb and focuses on balls out fun.  They also have the reputation for supporting a title long after release (Burnout Paradise) and who can say no to free expansion packs for years to come?  As long as they don’t turn Jackal into a “Cart Racer” game, I’m happy!


  8. Wing Commander

    Holy Luke Skywalker Batman! Holy Luke Skywalker Batman!The genre of space sims have also gone the way of adventure games.  Console action has over taken the need for a flight stick and first person space fighters haven’t been seen in a very long time.  However, the area of arcade styled fighter jet games is alive and kicking thanks to the likes of Namco with its Ace Combat series and Ubisoft with H.A.W.X..  The appeal of space sims is the same as when you were a kid and pretended to be flying the Millenium Falcon or piloting an X-Wing into battle.  It allows you to live the experiences of a space pilot, something that’s almost realistic but completely not at the same time.  While Wing Commander added the space opera/cheesy FMV storyline, you have to give it credit for giving you a reason to fly besides gaining points (which was basically the only motivation mechanic used in space flight games before WC).  Wing Commander is what the 1970’s Battlestar Galactica was while a reboot would be something closer to what the 2000’s Battlestar Galactica was.

    Developer Choice: Ubisoft

    Reason: With its most recent effort, H.A.W.X, Ubisoft has demonstrated a thorough understanding of the arcade sim.  The dogfighting mechanics and the plane designs were excellent while controls and actions were simple to understand.  They took the Ace Combat formula and made it slightly more action packed and it definitely works.  I would love to see them tackle a space flight sim like Wing Commander while putting a nice spin on the franchise.  Because lets face it, calling Wing Commander a “sim” of anything is just silly.  Also, Ubisoft has shown with games such as Assassin’s Creed that a sci-fi odd ball story isn’t beyond them.  Having its writers take on the Human/Kilrathi war would simply be aces!

  9. Duck Hunt

    Damn dog, always laughing at me! Damn dog, always laughing at me!A good light gun game hasn’t been around since the first Time Crisis and even then, TC for the home console just didn’t have the same feeling for me.  But Duck Hunt, now that was Nintendo game design 101.  The game came packaged free with every North American NES along with the Blaster.  I’m not a hardware design engineer so I can’t say if there’s a reason light guns can’t work with LCD TVs but hardware limitations aside, Duck Hunt was as great of a game as Punch-Out!! was.  Gameplay was simple and was never ending.  The only limitation was your own skill and the only multiplayer was trying to bet your buddy’s high score.  It was basically whack a mole with a light gun, and I’m more than happy with that.  People often wonder where Nintendo all of a sudden came out with the most casual console ever.  You only have to look at Duck Hunt to realize that Nintendo has always been as casual as they are hardcore and they are always riding that fine balance between one or the other.

    Developer Choice: Nintendo

    Reason: As with Final Fantasy, there’s no reason to choose anyone else other than Nintendo to remake its own game.  They have shown us with the new Mario games, reimagining a series is like a walk in the park from them.  And with the recent release of Punch-Out!!, they proved that age old gameplay can still be extremely fun and rewarding even on today’s hardware.  If there is no technical limitations to a light gun game, then I say we go hunt us some ducks!

  10. Shenmue

    Steven Segal is...the Cockpuncher! Steven Segal is…the Cockpuncher!Yu Suzuki imagined this tale of a young man in search of answers around the mystery surrounding the murder of his father to at least a three part saga.  But because of the premature death of the Dreamcast, lackluster reception of the title after being ported to the Xbox, the story ended with part two in a cliffhanger that only Suzuki has the resolution to.  Shenmue was ahead of its time in many aspects.  It was the first open world RPG that had randomly generated weather effects, a night/day cycle that required life management (sleeping and eating), and it was also one of the first games to employ Quick Time Events during battles (made famous again by games such as God of War).  The game also had a $70 million budget, unheard of for a video game at the time, but it didn’t sell enough to break even for Sega.  Being such a pioneer in RPG and for breaking out of the mold which still defines JRPGs today, Shenmue desperately deserves a remake.

    Developer Choice: Bioware

    Reason: Undoubtedly, Bioware’s penchant for sprawling RPGs must have had some influence by Suzuki’s masterpiece.  With its numerous takes on RPGs ranging from fantasy to science fiction, Bioware singlehandedly invented the “Western RPG” genre.  Shenmue would be a perfect fit for Bioware to mold the title into a series.  Its take on the genre with Mass Effect, blending action and RPG elements together around a facinate story is only a glimmer of what possibilities may be with a Bioware Shenmue.  This will never happen but I can always dream!

There you have it.  A list of ten games from multiple genres that all deserve a remake or a reboot of some sort.  These choices reflect what I can remember playing while growing up in North America.  There are too many excellent games that have been made in the last 20 years to include in a top ten list but if there’s anything you believe desperatly needs a remake/reboot, then please let us know and leave us a comment!  Until this dream-list gets realized, enjoy the games you play today because they might just be “classics” one day!

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