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Don’t let the name and the cute graphics fool you, Dokapon Kindom, the upcoming party RPG from Sting and Atlus, more than lives up to its subtitle “The Friendship Destroying Game”. I had the pleasure of checking it out last week and testing my already somewhat tenuous relationship with my arch-enemy, GamePro’s Travis Moses. It was a lot of fun and quite surpassed my expectations.
The best way to start describing Dokapon Kingdom would be to compare it to Mario Party in that they are both multiplayer games that use a board game mechanic, but the similarities stop there. Dokapon Kingdom goes a step further by adding in RPG elements, a huge map and a healthy dose of vicious competition to create something truly unique and a hell of a lot of fun. Up to four players can play locally (there is no online play) and no worries if you only have one controller as the game can be played with the “pass the controller” method.
American McGee’s Grimm has been somewhat of a mystery to me since it was announced. The concept sounded good, I mean anything based on Grimm’s fairy tales always catches my interest. I had been anxious to see exactly what it was going to be like and today I got my chance. It was certainly different than what I expected it might be and way more as well.
As you may have heard, Grimm is going to be an episodic game, with new episodes appearing every week. Episodes will be free for the first 24 hours and from there you can either purchase them individually from GameTap.com/grimm or get them free via a gold GameTap subscription. Each episode will take on a different fairy tale (some well know and some not so well known) with the first being “The Boy Learns What Fear Is,” and others to follow including “Red Riding Hood” and “The Girl Without Hands.”
Lately we are seeing more and more online flash games making the leap to consoles and handhelds. The newest addition to that roster is N+, an updated version of a little Ninja action/platformer game called N that took the interwebs by storm last year. The gameplay is simple and addicting. Guide your stealthy Ninja through mazes of obstacles, grabbing gold along the way until you eventually make your way to the exit. Now, Developer Silverbirch Studios is set to bring the title to the PSP and DS with new levels and new game modes.
It seems that in the age of “next gen” consoles, games are trying more and more to simulate realism. This is most apparent when it comes to sports games. Since most of these titles take place in a small variety of closed environments, it’s much easier spend more of your pixels on other things like sweat and facial animations without skimping on environments. Smash Court Tennis 3 may not have beads of sweat dripping from its players brows, but it makes up for it in other ways like a deep character customisation area and creative playing courts.
Big game hunters, the next big thing in virtual hunting is heading your way in the form of Deer Hunter Tournament. Since the release of the original Deer Hunter, one thing the developers at SouthLogic Studios noticed was that the community of hunters were banding together to create their own tournaments. Following their lead, SouthLogic has made this next iteration all about the tournaments. The tournament system is built right into the game and the PC version will get actual licenced sponsors with prizes. Each player will run the tournament gauntlet in their own private area so you won’t have to be fighting other hunters for the big prize. Scouting missions can also be taken on, giving the player an opportunity to study a particular area and its animals eating habits before diving in. World wide tournament results will be accessible through the game so players can see how they stack up against other hunters.
Just a scant hour ago I made the trek down to the Powell Street GameStop to take in the midnight launch of Metal Gear Solid 4. Upon arrival, I was greeted with a line that went halfway down the block and around the corner. Roughly seventy five to a hundred and people waited patiently for the doors to open so they could once again get their hands on their beloved Solid Snake. First in line was lucky Kiattikhun Ratanatharathorn, known as “Bank” to his friends (pictured after the jump) who had been waiting for his prize since 6pm. He was accompanied by his friend James Demonico who wasn’t actually there for the game but he owed “Bank” money so he came along for the ride (now I guess we know why they call him “Bank”).
By now I’m sure most of you are familiar with the seemingly odd transition of Guitar Hero from consoles to handhelds, namely the DS. When Guitar Hero: On Tour was announced a few months ago it left many of us scratching our heads wondering how they would pull it off. Even with the addition of pictures of the add-on peripheral it was still hard to imagine exactly what it would be like trying to play. I finally got my chance to check it out for myself a few days ago and despite former misgivings I actually found it quite fun.
The first thing I took a look at upon arriving was the “guitar grip” peripheral. It was a pretty sturdy little piece of a equipment that fits snugly into the GBA slot of the DS. The clear plastic cover is removable and the logo can be pulled out so you can customise the look of it. The strap is likewise customisable, no doubt providing plenty of opportunity for merchandising. As you may know, there are only four buttons in this iteration of the game and while some players may find this disconcerting, there is actually a good reason for it. With the DS literally strapped to your hand, it would make it impossible for you to be able to slide your hand to reach the fifth button. Then of course there is the space issue. After looking at it close up, it seems the addition of the fifth button would make it a bit crowded.
My hands on with Hellboy: Science of Evil was a surprising experience. I wasn’t expecting to like it much but it ended up being a pretty fun little action game experience. You play Hellboy, the demon with the sawed off horns and stone fist of fury. After discovering a Nazi plot to take over the world, Hellboy must hit the streets to keep them from fulfilling their evil plans. Co-op play is available through two additional characters, Liz and Abe who you might remember from the movie and comic books. It should be noted that the game is mainly based on the comics but there are elements room the movie such as character voices from stars Ron Perlman,David Hyde Pierce and Selma Blair. As an added bonus, the script for the game was penned by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and movie director Guillermo del Toro.
Dance Dance Revolution is celebrating ten years of people making dancing fools of themselves in public with the launch of three new DDR titles, each for a different console. Dance Dance Revolution X for the PS2, Dance Dance Revolution Universe 3 for the Xbox 360 and Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2 for Wii are all expected to launch in fall of this year and will provide DDR aficionados with even more songs to with which to get funky fresh on the dance pad.
If you are a PS2 owner you’ll be able to link up to four PS2 up with LAN cables and provide a dance party for up to eight people. With that kind of set up you better have a huge living room and no neighbours if you wish to avoid arrest for disturbing the peace. You can also plug in your EyeToy camera and become part of the game.
Xbox 360 players will be treated to sixty five songs, Xbox LIVE compatibility and the ability to customise their own dancer. Also included are two new modes; DJ Mode where you can create your own tracks and set lists and City Mode where you can compete against various bosses to rule the dance floor.
Wii owners will get four player multiplayer, Wii remote and nunchuck support, new modes and an all new soundtrack. The new modes consist of the Dance n’ Defend Battle Mode, a head to head dance off using the Wii remote, Course Mode and Groove Arena Mode. You’ll also be able to use your Mii in the game!
Make the jump to check out the full press release and all the swinging details!
