See ya...

Since I can't use the interwebs till monday, I thought I'd leave you guys with this:my two favourite things. Zelda and Skillet

Proposition: COMMENTARIES!

Since 4ever has made a youtube channel for us, i was thinking that we should start making gameplay commentary. What do you guys think. and i dont mean just you, terfle and 4ever, i mean everyone who reads this blog. comment. tell us what you think.

Wind Waker vs Twilight Princess

As you may have guessed, the topic for this month is Zelda, so here's a debate which can get some trash talking going. Skyward Sword's graphical style is a mixture of the whimsical cartoon, cell shaded theme of Wind Waker and the realistic, darker toned Twilight Princess, so let's take a look at the graphics. (I think Terfle should make another post about this, since he is probably the most knowledgable about Wind Waker)
The GameCube was not the strongest console on the block, so instead of opting for a realistic style of graphics, they went for a cartoony style, which many fans hated when they saw their first glance. Luckily, they were shut up when the actually played the game. It was kind of cool seeing Link as a kid again, only this time, with cat eyes. Even with the graphics, it was (and still is) gorgeous.
The Twilight Princess Graphics were much more focused on realism, trying to match the darker graphics to the darker story. However, while the graphics were still cool as anything, if you looked very closely, you could see that some of the attention to detail had been skipped over and that the textures weren't as smooth as they looked in the distance. Still, many believed that the Twilight Princess graphics were superior to that of Wind Waker's
The Gameplay for both of these games was very similar. Travelling around however, was done by boat in Wind Waker. This annoyed many a fan because it took forever to get anywhere. Twilight Princess had Link's trusty stead Epona as a means of transport that was much, much faster. As for the rest of the gameplay, it was very similar. You search about in dungeons, solving brilliant puzzles and finding new items. When you aren't doing that, you're searching about the overworld for heart containers and extra unlocks, playing minigames and shopping. For the more subtle differences, you will have to read Terfle's next post. 

(Psst. Terfle, that's your cue!)

Majora's Mask 3DS

I know, I know, this is another post by 4EVER, but the Doctor is busy and Terfle is...
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask was another hit on the N64, the sequel to Ocarina of Time. However, it didn't have the same success with fans or critics as Ocarina (despite being regarded very highly) the main reason being the time limit on the whole game. Yep. The clock pressured people into finishing the game quickly and rushing, not the happiest environment to play. Nevertheless, it is still masterful. Many 3DS owners are begging for the release of Majora's Mask on Nintendo's handheld, but to no avail. However, something interesting popped up. In an interview with one of the Nintendo team, the source  said that the idea was definitely considered. Then, without going on to say anything more, he said that it wouldn't feel right to have two remakes back to back and that Ninty wanted to release a new Zelda game before Majora's Mask. On the plus side, there will be a new and original Zelda game to appear on the 3DS as well as the big chance of the Majora's Mask remake. The downside being it wasn't officially confirmed. Still, chances are looking high.

Quickscoping

Something that has plagued many games makes and unfortunate appearance in GoldenEye 007. Quickscoping. For those of you who don't know what is it, check the video in the comments.
Basically, in GoldenEye, the sniper rifle is a tool that is used far too often for cheap kills. Some may say skill. Some may say it's pure garbage. 

Metroid Prime Review

Back in 2002, the idea was born. The idea to turn the much loved franchise of Metroid into a first person game. Released way back on the Nintendo Gamecube, Metroid Prime was loved by many fans and critics. Now, in 2011, how does it hold up?


Metroid Prime looks stunning. Even without HD graphics, the art direction and design make the Alien world of Tallon IV look like a living breathing planet. Not even alien set games like Halo manage to achieve this. The sound it also perfect for the locals. While the music isn't memorable like Zelda, it helps set the mood. You play as Samus Aran, Nintendo's famed space bounty hunter (she doesn't hunt space...but, you get the idea) You will arrive on Tallon IV in search of a mysterious, yet familiar beast that seemingly was behind part of the destruction of Frigate Orpheon. Upon arriving on Tallon IV, the storytelling ceases and you have to begin working it out for yourself. You'll do this by scanning various Chozo scripts and that of the Space Pirates. Be warned though, you will be doing a lot of scanning. But, without spoiling too much, the planet Tallon IV was once inhabited by the Chozo, until a meteor hit the planet. Riding on the meteor is this substance called Phazon, which has strange effects on the world and the inhabitants. The Space Pirates want to weaponize it, therefore creating some pretty freaky stuff in the process. And guess who's job it is to stop them!

The gameplay of Metroid Prime revolves around traversing the world in search of suit upgrades, things to scan, Artifacts and of course, the source of the Phazon. While it may be marketed as a first person shooter, this is closer to a first person adventure game that anything else. The greatness of Metroid Prime comes from comes from exploring the world and finding new ways to get about. There are some enemies which can only be fought in a certain way which means you have pretty interesting and varied gameplay. There is one function in Prime which people will either love or hate. Backtracking.  After obtaining new upgrades, you can go back and get upgrades which you weren't able to get before. Me? I was okay with it. It did mean that the upgrades you get can be limited if you wish to plough the game, making it harder. I love the gameplay though, it's so hypnotically engrossing. However, it does have flaws. For instance, it takes AGES to get around ANYWHERE! If there was a fast travel system, the game would be SO much better, even if it is already amazing. There is one other problem. Prime has a lack of direction. The only time I didn't enjoy the game was when I spent 40 mins walking around mindlessly doing nothing. Eventually, I had to resort to doing something I hated: using a walkthrough. Sometimes, you just won't know where to go at all, and you'll have to wait for ages for a hint to pop up, and even the you'll have to do a lot of walking to the place. ARRGGH! So, if anyone uses a walkthrough, don't judge. Please. However, the feeling of getting a new suit upgrade is more than worth all this unnecessary travelling. The only other problem I have is that the game doesn't tell you which doors are save stations. One time, I went into a room with two doors. I decided to go one way. I was killed and had to spend another 10 minutes walking to get to the room again. I went through the other door and, turns out, it was a save station. That's another thing. save stations. Every time you die, you return to the last one you saved at. This is a feature that comes with age. In fact, a lot of the problems I had with the game can be attributed to age. Back in 2002, this game's flaws would have gone unnoticed, but now, I can't help but notice. But either way, this is a truly masterful game. Despite the flaws, like the fact that you have to start gain if you beat the game (I am going to play it again though!) it's a magical experience that is almost indescribable. 

Here's a new trailer to help kick off zelda month