sequel

Splatoon 2: The Sequel that Could’ve Been

When I played the demo of Splatoon 2 back at PAX East, I liked it, but there wasn’t much of anything that made it feel like a sequel rather than a port of the first Splatoon from 2015 to Switch. In fact, my exact words were, “The demo of Splatoon 2 paints the game as an only slightly upgraded version of Splatoon: Still very fun, but not enough differences from the original Splatoon to make it feel like a new or different game in any way. In its current state, it feels more like a slight patch to the original Splatoon.” After having played the finished game for a while, I still feel the exact same way: It’s fun, but really doesn’t have enough new material to feel like a totally separate game from the original Splatoon. Rather, it simply feels like a port of the original Splatoon, but with a few new weapons and Salmon Run (which of course, is only available during certain times of the day). Even if a game has succeeded in being a good game, it still fails as a sequel if it’s hard to tell the difference between it and its original. Such is the case of Splatoon 2.

I find the fact that this is happening to Splatoon on the Switch, of all things, ironic when Mario Kart seemed to have the complete opposite happen to it at practically the exact same time: Mario Kart is a firmly established recurring series for Nintendo. Its latest entry, Mario Kart 8, is one of the most well-received Mario Kart titles out there and came out in 2014. The time is right for a new Mario Kart game on Nintendo’s newest console, yet instead, they did exactly what they should’ve done with Splatoon: They just ported it. Tell me if this sounds familiar: They added a little bit of new content to it, and then threw it on the Switch.

via arstechnica.com

The point I’m trying to get across here is that I’m so perplexed why Nintendo didn’t (pun not intended) switch the situations of these 2 games. Mario Kart is due for a sequel, and especially with Mario Kart 8 being one of the Wii U’s centerpieces, now would’ve been a great time to release Mario Kart 9–yet instead, they added a pinch of new content and just ported Mario Kart 8. Splatoon wouldn’t have been due for a sequel for another year or so, yet Nintendo gave the original Splatoon a pinch of new content and called it Splatoon 2–since it’s so similar to the original, they simply should’ve just called it what it is: A Splatoon port.

I’ve been told that perhaps the reason Nintendo chose to treat these games this way–or at least Splatoon–is to establish its status as a new recurring series for Nintendo. After all, there are ports for F-Zero available on the Virtual Console and we all know about how Nintendo feels about sequels for it. But by making a sequel that feels like a copy/pasting of the original, I really don’t think it’s helping Nintendo out as much as they’d like it to be in terms of establishing Splatoon as a recurring series. I’m sure they made a ton of money off of it, and it’s a fantastic game, but it’s so similar to the original Splatoon that it simply doesn’t read as a sequel. This makes me worry if Splatoon 3, 4, etc. will be the same way.

A series this reminds me of is Monster Hunter. I love Monster Hunter, make no mistake, but since titles for it come out so frequently these days and many of them are incredibly similar to each other, I haven’t actually bought a new one since 4. I plan on getting the next release with hopes that the minute differences found between Monster Hunter titles will finally have stacked enough to feel like a proper sequel, but after playing demos and reading reviews of all the new releases we’ve got since 4, none of them have seemed like a different enough experience from 4 to make me want to buy what is essentially 4 all over again.

Splatoon, I’m worried, will fall in this “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” category of game sequels in which little differences are made in each new entry, but usually nothing substantial. There are plenty of fine games and sequels that fall under this category–mostly yearly releases–but personally, in my humble (read this word closely) opinion–I prefer the traditional version of the sequel that keeps the spirit of the original alive but still feels like a different game.

via starmen.net

When I think of what a successful sequel looks like, I think of Nintendo’s own MOTHER trilogy. From the very beginning, each game has the same bizarre atmosphere and base concept of an ordinary child getting psychic powers and being thrown into extraordinary situations (featuring rampant symbolism). Moreover, their aesthetics and soundtracks, although different, are just similar enough to remind the player of other MOTHER games. Earthbound acts as a successful sequel to MOTHER by keeping its bizarreness intact whilst polishing the gameplay by adding a little something new (the rolling HP counter) and fixing some of the common complaints that the original MOTHER had (EX: Too much grinding, too easy to die). MOTHER 3 does the exact same thing to Earthbound–it adds the beat battles and fixes many of Earthbound’s common complaints (too hard to avoid enemies, not enough boss battles). Earthbound and MOTHER 3 are textbook definitions of what proper sequels should be–and effectively, a proper trilogy. These are the kinds of sequels I like best, and these kinds of sequels tend to be more prevalent in Nintendo titles.

Splatoon in and of itself is good enough of a base game for me to want to own it on the Switch. I (and I’m sure many other gamers) would’ve still bought it if it was just being called a Splatoon port on the Switch as well. But alas, I’m very aware that not everyone is that way, and by calling it Splatoon 2 Nintendo definitely made more money. From a financial standpoint, they made the right decision. In doing this, however, they’ve confirmed that if Splatoon 3 is the same way then they’ve cemented its status as a rarely changing game  series. Which is fine for some gamers, it is. It’s just the preference some people have–there’s nothing wrong with that. But in this particular gamer’s opinion, if Splatoon 3 follows suit, Splatoon will definitely become one of those series that I only buy every 2-3 sequels for with hopes that they’ll have changed just enough by then to feel like a proper sequel–to feel like I’m not just purchasing the same game all over again as I did with Splatoon 2. Not to mention to prevent the gameplay from becoming stale.

What surprises me the most about this since it’s Splatoon is the fact that this is a Nintendo game. From a business perspective, they did the right thing. They were safe rather than sorry. Artistically, however, Nintendo has been known to be a company that likes to take risks and be different. I mean, this is a game being played on a console with its on monitor if you need proof. Moreover, they’ve proven through Pokemon that it’s entirely possible to make recurring sequels with just enough changes to feel like a different game and still make it not just good, but excellent. That’s to say nothing of the aforementioned MOTHER trilogy, main series Mario games, Metroid, even Mario Kart to name a handful. It therefore surprises me that Nintendo didn’t try to be more risky with Splatoon. I’d expect this kind of static, unchanging sequel from a Sony or Microsoft game, but Nintendo? It’s incredibly rare, but it does happen from time to time (read: Most of the recent Mario Party releases). This just happens to be one of those times, unfortunately.

I do like Splatoon 2, I do, I just wish it felt like a sequel rather than a port. This is a very common thread I’ve seen in many critiques of Splatoon 2. I think Haedox, in particular, summed it up best in his review on Splatoon 2 when he said, “Nintendo is clearly capable of doing so much better when all they have to do is observe their competition…It’s still fun, but it gets back to the central issue of missed potential…Splatoon 2 is already beginning to get a bit stale because of its similarities to the first game.” By adding new classes of weapons, perhaps other gameplay modes (more than just the sometimes-open Salmon Run, for sure–though admittedly, if Salmon Run were open 24/7 it would help), more to do in Inkopolis Square, adding more customization options and outfits, and maybe even adding other small, fun things (for example: I always wondered why Callie and Marie, despite being such beloved pop stars, never had a show like this in Inkopolis) Splatoon 2 could’ve been one of the best releases in a year that’s widely considered to be one of the best gaming’s had in years with its constant stream of 5-star releases–yet it simply wasn’t. Splatoon 2 is a wonderful game, make no mistake, but it’s also only a wonderful game because the first Splatoon was a wonderful game. It may not feel like a sequel but if you were hoping to put one of the Wii U’s most beloved titles on your Switch, it’s available.

Games Gone By: The Force Unleashed

A smaller series this time around but by no means that does that make it bad. Well…not terrible, but it definitely deserved more than what it got. These two games I always see as two of the best Star Wars games that not only has a great original story, but also helps expand what we already know from the original trilogy.

The story is a definite highlight of the first game, exploring a lot of what led to events in the A New Hope. Image Source: entreegeeks.wordpress.com

Star Wars The Force Unleashed came out in 2008 on the Playstation 3, Playstation 2, Xbox 360, and the Wii. In it you play as Starkiller, Darth Vader’s secret apprentice who has been training to help him overthrow the emperor. You are tasked usually with hunting Jedi with your pilot Juno Eclipse and polite yet blood-hungry droid proxy. The game takes you amazing places such as the jungles of Kashyyyk to the junk world of Raxus Prime and many other locations I won’t spoil.  Along the way, you grow to love Starkiller as he questions what he is doing and if you really wants to become a Sith.

The gameplay is a classic hack and slash that lets you really use the force in new and exciting ways. You can force-push, grip, dash, and even use force lightning on your enemies. The combat system even rewards you for mixing multiple kinds of attacks together. Certain enemies are avoidant to certain force powers, so you can’t rely on one power.

However, at the same time a lot of the enemies can be considered cheap, often hitting you right as you get up or attacking long-range from off-screen. This especially true for the Purge troopers.

There’s something to be said about being able to take down a Rancor with relative ease. Image Source: videogamesnet.com

You can also have influence on where the story goes (either being canon are longer applicable after it was placed in the LEGENDS canon). You can even pick the final boss! The darker ending even has a dlc that shows a darker way A New Hope and Empire could have gone.

Also the soundtrack is phenomenal. Take a listen for yourself, it perfectly captures  John Williams’s style and feeling, heightening  the game exponentially.

 

All things considered, I think that this game offers a lot, especially for Star Wars fans. While the cutscenes have some creepy facial animations, the story is still one that pulls you in and makes you feel for what’s going on. It also gives an ironic twist as to the origins of the rebellion. Sadly, the charm and heart was not present in the second game.

More polish than substance unfortunately. Image Source:game-debate.com

The Force Unleashed 2 came out for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and PC in 2010. The game generated immense hype by showing that Starkiller now using TWO lightsabers, as well as having Boba Fett and Yoda in the story. However, the excitement for the game quickly diminished for most players when they realized they were more than halfway through the game after roughly an hour.

If you like Boba Fett, then you’ll love all 30 seconds of his screentime. Image Source: engadget.com

The story is pitiful. Vader is trying to clone Starkiller, and you play as on of those clones who is still attached to Starkiller’s past. From there, you escape Kamino, try to find your friends, and get revenge on Vader. Unlike the last game, where you go to many exciting locations, in this game you really go to one. You fly to Cato Neimoidia and then you’re on your way back to Kamino. But don’t worry, there is a  good five minutes of Dagobah in-between, and playing on the ship to Kamino. The game also ends with many questions that are never answered, and after Lucasarts was shut down, I don’t think they ever will be.

While the story is abysmal, the gameplay at least seems improved, as well as the graphics. However it feels as though you’re far to powerful in the beginning of the game, and no enemeie seem like a threat. You barely have to strategize to beat them unlike the last game. Its either saber slash or force. That’s it. And large enemies are repeated so often they just feel like a chore to get through.

Oh and the Soundtrack is painfully generic compared to the last, doing reorchestrated (worse) versions of the previous games best tracks.

You stop these missls at least thirty times in the span of two hours of gameplay. And each time its more tiresome than the last. Image Source: gameratedgames.com

This series did have promise, and had the ability to fill in holes fans never expected to see filled. However, with a very mediocre sequel and the shutting down of Lucasarts, it seems like this section of a galaxy far far away will forever be just that. Far away.

Reacting to Resident Evil 7 and its Demo

I must admit I was quite surprised at Sony’s press conference at E3 this year. The announcement of a new God of War, a remaster of Crash Bandicoot, and we finally got a release date for The Last Guardian. But what I was most shocked to see was the announcement of the seventh Resident Evil game.

Its been quite awhile since we’ve had an actual scary Resident Evil admittedly. Image Source: amazon.com

My first assumption on seeing the trailer was that it was going to be completely in VR. So along with the game itself, you would need to pay an extra 400 dollars to play it. Thankfully, after some interviews with the developers, that turned out not to be the case. While it is compatible with VR, its not needed. However, it does take place entirely in first person perspective, which I feel both optimistic and worried about at the same time.

The demo has already set the stage for a very creepy and disturbing atmosphere. Image Source: The AV Club

First off: the good. From the trailer and the demo, the game looks gorgeous. The lighting seems to set a wonderfully creepy vibe that I’ve missed in the recent Resident Evil games. The small location is ripped straight out of a nightmare with rotting carcasses, decaying walls, moving mannequins, and notes that seem to be moving on their own.

The small setting itself is also a positive for me. Resident Evil 6 was a world-sprawling narrative going from America, to Europe, and then to China. That’s good for an adventure game, but it doesn’t let you soak in the world around you as much. You’re too busy jumping from one set-piece to another to savor it. The feeling of restriction and confinement only heightens the dark and horrific atmosphere that you feel enthralled in within the demo for 7.

More characters for RE6,  but most rely too much on established traits in previous games instead of pushing any personality. Also there’s a near total abscence of horror. Image Source: Gazette Review

But now we come to the bad. I love the atmosphere that can already be seen and the world that’s presented, but it doesn’t seem like Resident Evil to me. Or at least, not yet. There has been no mention so far of the T-Virus, Umbrella, the BSA, The Raccoon City Incident, or even the word infected. From the demo its hard to tell, but there seems to be no zombies in sight.

The backwards cabin with a killer in it can be very scary. But that’s not Resident Evil. To me, Resident Evil is being caught in a world that is constantly trying to kill you. You need to make sure you have supplies and are always ready. Being alone with an army of walking, biting, and voracious zombies is what is at the core of what makes these games so great. Maybe the killer is infected with a new kind of virus, maybe not, but so far there’s very little evidence to support that.

Its great to see that Capcom is listening to the fans and going back to horror for Resident Evil. But only time will tell if this is a new beginning, or a failed experiment.

Is he infected or just a crazed killer? Only time will tell. Image Source: Trans-Scribe at Blogspot.com