Welcome to The Doctor's Prognosis! I am your humble host, Dr. C-LOS. Here, I will let you know my thoughts on various forms of entertainment including film, TV, and video games. Enjoy!
Cloud Strife announced for Super Smash Bros, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD unveiled, and MORE in the latest Nintendo Direct!
Arguably the biggest surprise today was Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII debuting on the popular fighter, Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U and 3DS.
The music sure got me pumped up. The Midgar stage looks fantastic, and the summons look amazing. Definitely a character I am looking forward to playing as. No release date was announced, but Nintendo will be doing a special Smash Bros-centric Nintendo Direct in December so keep an eye out for more info and surprises.
Nintendo also officially unveiled The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD for the Wii U, along with a brand new Wolf Link amiibo.
You can purchase the amiibo bundled with the game, though Nintendo has not announced what function the amiibo will serve. Other series-related amiibo, including Link, Zelda, Ganondorf, Sheik and Toon Link, will also be compatible with the game. Furthermore, Nintendo revealed that the data on the Wolf Link amiibo can be transferred to the upcoming Zelda Wii U game. Expect to hear more on that tidbit soon.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD will be available on March 4, 2016.
Nintendo also showed several other upcoming titles such as the new Fire Emblem, Hyrule Warriors Legends for the 3DS (Featuring a female Link!), and a rerelease of the original, first generation Pokémon games. For all that and more, here is the full Nintendo Direct for your convenience.
Nintendo has released the trailer for Pokémon GO, their first augmented reality game for Android and iOS!
Capturing Pokémon in the real world sounds like a dream come true for many gamers, young and old, but how well will that translate into mobile gaming? Game developer Niantic, who worked on the successful augmented reality mobile game Ingress, will bring their valuable experience to the popular Nintendo franchise. So it appears the game is in good hands.
Nintendo will also be releasing a bluetooth device compatible with the game called the Pokemon GO Plus. It is not necessary to enjoy the game, but it does have some perks. The device will allow budding Pokémon trainers to perform basic actions in the game such as catching Pokémon with the simple press of a button. It will also alert players of nearby Pokémon and events.
The Pokémon GO Plus. Wear your guilty pleasure!
The game will be free to download and play, but expect lots of potential in-game purchases.... and a hefty cellphone bill.
No official release date has been announced, but Pokémon GO is scheduled to be available on Google Play and the App Store in 2016.
Here comes a new challenger! Watch Nintendo kick off E3 with new Super Smash Bros. content, the return of the Nintendo World Championships, and more!
For those of you who don't have the time to watch all of it, here is one of the more exciting announcements.... the official unveiling of Street Fighter's Ryu for Smash Bros.
Nice to see Tekken represented with a Heihachi Mii costume as well. What's so amazing is that Ryu retains his moves from Street Fighter, including the traditional inputs from the famed fighting series. Doing these inputs adds damage to Ryu's moves. In addition, his moves vary depending on whether you tap or press down the attack buttons, AND he has two Final Smash attacks depending on your proximity to opponents. So Ryu is definitely one of the most versatile characters on the roster.
Now check out the return of Fire Emblem's Roy!
Roy is definitely not just a clone. He has a powerful sword attack that does incredible damage to opponents when fully charged.... if they survive it. This attack, among others, also does flame damage, which adds an extra "oomph" to Roy's attacks. Overall, he is fun to play and is a welcome addition to the roster, even with the current Fire Emblem representation.
Ryu, Roy, Lucas, and more are available for download on the Nintendo eShop now!
Nintendo also announced EarthBound Beginnings for the Wii U Virtual Console!
This is a localized port of the original Mother game from 1989, which was never released in the US. Its sequel, Mother 2, was released in the US as EarthBound. EarthBound Beginnings is available on the Nintendo eShop...... now!
Nintendo finished the day with the return of their Nintendo World Championship! The show is long but ended up being a lot of fun to watch. They played a variety of games including Splatoon and Mario Kart 8. Take a look at least for the Mario Maker portion at the end. It is intense.
Much like in the film The Wizard, the Nintendo World Championship served as a great marketing tool to sell the latest Mario game. They really showed off what Mario Maker is capable of. Mario fans have something great to look forward to whether it's creating levels or playing them.
Mario Maker is scheduled to be released for the Wii U in September.
That is all for today, but E3 is just beginning. Nintendo has another digital event this Tuesday at 9am PT, which will show off a lot more games. Of course, other companies such as Microsoft, Electronic Arts, and Sony will have their own shows throughout the week, so keep an eye out.
Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and more classic video game icons invade Earth in the first official trailer for Pixels.
Simpsons Futurama did it. Was I the first one to make that joke?
The trailer did look like a lot of fun for the most part, but Adam Sandler makes me wary. However, Peter Dinklage is a great actor, and that last bit with the creator of Pac-Man was awesome, so I'm cautiously optimistic. Hopefully it turns out to be a fun movie.
Based on the 2010 short film of the same name, Pixels is directed by Chris Columbus and stars Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan, Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, and Brian Cox.
Here is a short synopsis:
"When intergalactic aliens misinterpret video-feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war against them, they attack the Earth, using the games as models for their various assaults. President Will Cooper (Kevin James) has to call on his childhood best friend, '80s video game champion Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler), now a home theater installer, to lead a team of old-school arcaders (Peter Dinklage and Josh Gad) to defeat the aliens and save the planet. Joining them is Lt. Col. Violet Van Patten (Michelle Monaghan), a specialist supplying the arcaders with unique weapons to fight the aliens."
Pixels is scheduled to invade US theaters on July 24th.
Nintendo has revealed new gameplay footage from the The Legend of Zelda for the Wii U!
The demo premiered last night during The Game Awards. The graphic design and draw distance look amazing, and the game world looks enormous! This will be a game worthy of exploring via horseback.
Furthermore, Star Fox was announced to be releasing next year before The Legend of Zelda hits. It could be a great year for Nintendo fans.
The Legend of Zelda for the Wii U is currently set to release sometime in 2015.
Capcom has released the first trailer for their classic survival horror game, Resident Evil, now remastered in HD.
The game was originally released back in 1996 for the Sony PlayStation console, but was later remade for the Nintendo Gamecube in 2002. This release will be an HD remaster of the Gamecube remake.
Resident Evil will be released in 2015 for the PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
Watch Link, Zelda, and more in action in this awesome gameplay trailer for Hyrule Warriors for the Wii U!
While the game certainly appears to lack the depth of a regular Legend of Zelda game, there is plenty of action and variety to make up for it.
The game is developed by Tecmo Koei with the hack-and-slash gameplay style of their Dynasty Warriors series. The cast boasts several playable characters from different games in the Zelda series such as Midna from Twilight Princess, Fi from Skyward Sword, and Princess Ruto from The Ocarina of Time.
Nintendo has been releasing individual gameplay trailers that focus on specific characters and weapons. For example, check out this gameplay trailer of Impa using a Naginata.
Lucina, Robin, and Captain Falcon have been officially revealed in the new trailer for Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U and 3DS! Show me your moves!
The additions of Lucina and Robin make it possible for a four-way Fire Emblem brawl with returning characters Marth and Ike. Unfortunately, Chrom is not a playable character, but he appears to be part of Robin's Final Smash.
Conan O'Brien took a trip to E3 last week and had a chance to check out Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. for one of his "Clueless Gamer" segments. The result was the following hilarious review.....
Catch Conan on TBS weeknights at 11/10c. For more great Conan videos like this, make sure to check out the official Team Coco website and the official Conan YouTube page.
Super Smash Bros. is scheduled to release on the 3DS on October 3rd, while the Wii U version is scheduled for this year's holiday season.
Hot off the heals of announcing the Mii fighters and Palutena, Nintendo officially announces Pac-Man for Super Smash Bros for the Wii U and 3DS. Check out the trailer here!
Pac-Man's inclusion means that four major gaming mascots will be taking on the fighting stage at the same time for the first time. Players will be able to duke it out between Mario, Sonic, Mega Man, and Pac-Man in a fight for gaming supremacy.
It also looks like Mr. Game & Watch will be making a return to help Pac-Man fight for the honor of 1980 gaming icons. The cast is definitely shaping up to be one of the best in the series ever.
Super Smash Bros. is scheduled to release on the 3DS on October 3rd, while the Wii U version is scheduled for this year's holiday season.
E3 is under way, and Nintendo finally put out their digital event presentation. Take a look at the full digital event here!
The digital event was quite entertaining with lots of great inside humor that Nintendo fans can really get into. Let's look at the highlights!
For those not willing to wade through the entire Nintendo Digital Event, here is the announcement trailer for the new Legend of Zelda for the Wii U!
The game is a departure from previous iterations in that the level design allows for much more free-roaming in a huge open world. A big part of the gameplay is figuring out how to get to all the destinations you can see in the far off distance. The art design is similar to the painterly style of Skyward Sword, which probably helps render such far distances in a way that is pleasing to the eye.
This is the game I am most pumped to play in the foreseeable future. Cannot wait to see more. Legend of Zelda for the Wii U is scheduled for release in 2015.
Another great reveal was being able to use your Mii in Super Smash Bros. Fortunately, this wasn't just an after-thought as the Miis are customizable with various fighting styles to choose from. The Miis were also put in as a way to create and play as characters that didn't make the final roster.
The long rumored Palutena from the Kid Icarus series was officially announced for Super Smash Bros. She rounds out a great cast of characters filled with a healthy proportion of strong female fighters such as Samus Aran, Princess Zelda, and Rosalina. In addition, the trailer seems to hint that Dark Pit may be a playable character as well, or an alternate skin for Pit.
Nintendo also introduced their Amiibo figures, a line reminiscent of Disney Infinity and Skylanders. The Amiibos are supposed to be compatible with several games including Mario Kart 8, but the only Amiibo demo shown off was with Super Smash Bros.
The new Amiibo figures... Nintendo really wants your money.
You can place an Amiibo on the Wii U gamepad, and have that character fight for your Mii in Super Smash Bros. These characters can be trained and leveled up, but cannot be used as regular fighters, so they feel more like helpers for your Mii.
Amiibos definitely have a lot of potential. It will be interesting to see how Nintendo decides to use them in the future.
Nintendo also showed off Mario Maker, an interesting new game that lets you create and play your own Mario levels. The trailer does a good job showing off how fun and challenging created levels can be. Definitely a fun tool for budding game designers.
Another standout title was Yoshi's Woolly World. The gameplay appears to be a cross between classic Yoshi games and Kirby's Epic Yarn. The game's graphical style on the Wii U looks amazing. It definitely catches the eye. It just goes to show how much art design can help a game stand out from the rest.
Of course, there are a lot more games to see during E3, but these were the ones that stood out the most to me.
Cannot wait to see what else Nintendo shows in the future. Time will tell if their slate of games will win over the hearts of gamers, but that Zelda game alone has me wanting to buy a Wii U. Nintendo was out to steal the thunder with that announcement.
Welcome to another edition of The Doctor's Prognosis! E3 is done and it's time to contemplate what we've seen once again.
Microsoft
Why is the Xbox my most used console, yet Miscrosoft continues to disappoint every year with their conferences? The gist of it was this, Microsoft wants the Xbox to be your primary media hub. You can play games, watch movies and ESPN, and now link up with your iOS, Android, and/or Windows Mobile devices with what they call Xbox SmartGlass.
I like the idea of being able to watch almost anything on my Xbox. I wouldn't need cable or satellite any longer so it would save me money. But unfortunately, I want to see games from E3. And they focused almost entirely on how the Xbox is going to rule the world. Not to mention the overly long Usher sing and dance routine.
So what did I like? Halo 4 looks ok. Nice graphics but I'm not excited for it. I like Gears of War but it feels a little early for a new one to be announced. Though I do like that it's supposed to be VERY difficult. Resident Evil 6 looks like fun too. But what I like best from the MS conference was the South Park RPG!
They made fun of Microsoft and made me excited for their game all at the same time. I love me some South Park, and The Stick of Truth could be a hilarious good time.
Sony
I was actually impressed with Sony's press conference. That's saying a lot since I tend to use my PS3 primarily as a BD player. Sony focused on games for the most part, faulting mainly with that Wonderbook demo thing. I guess that's good for the kids.
First, I was very impressed with Beyond: Two Souls. It looks amazing. The story has me intrigued and I want to see what happens to the main character, played by Ellen Page. In fact the in-game character looks exactly like Ellen Page!
The other game that impressed me was The Last of Us.
The gameplay looks so visceral. I see myself playing this when it comes out. And I'm actually looking forward to using my PS3 as more than just a BD player. Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale looks like a fun game as well. It's basically a Smash Bros rip-off, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The new God of War could be fun too.
Bravo Sony on a good conference overall.
Nintendo
With the exception of the WiiFit stuff, I think Nintendo did a good job overall with showing off games. Nothing too exciting, though I like Pikmin 3 a lot.
I like how Miyamoto teases giving away the red Pikmin before being all, "Haha no. It's mine!" I can see myself buying that along with maybe Ubisoft's ZombiU.
On that note, Ubisoft looks to be very gung-ho on the WiiU tablet controller, which can only be a good thing. It has the potential for innovation. There were also a lot of 3rd party games shown, but many of them are older games. Arkham City: Armored Edition adds some tablet functionality, but it's unlikely to make you want to buy the game again.
Thankfully, Nintendo also showed off New Super Mario Bros. U and a new Paper Mario. Good stuff but nothing terribly exciting. I want to see a true next-gen Mario, Zelda, Metroid, etc.
They closed off their show with NintendoLand, which is a game based in a theme park filled with minigames. These minigames are supposed to show off what the tablet can do. This should really be a pack-in game with the WiiU. I just can't see anybody clamoring to buy this thing. Even worse, the graphics look like a vanilla Wii game. They're still using the same Miis. Beef the graphics up a bit! Show off what your console can do!
Overall a good show but could have been better. I'm still excited to see what else they have up the pipeline.
Bonus!
What else got my attention?
Watch Dogs looks like it has an interesting premise.
Dishonored also caught my attention. I'm getting a Bioshock meets Assassin's Creed vibe from it.
And anything from PlatinumGames is going to be on my radar. Project P-100 for the WiiU looks like one to watch.
Now if I had to pick a winner of E3, I'd have to say Sony pulled it off this year with their conference. I can't believe I just typed that. I think Nintendo and MS have good things going for them, but Sony actually got me excited to play some games. And in the end, that's what is most important coming from the biggest game show of the year.
So what did YOU think? Which games got you most excited? What did you feel was lackluster? Let me know your thoughts on E3!
Hello and welcome to a long-awaited edition of The Doctor's Prognosis!
Like last year, I will be giving micro reviews and scores for every game mentioned, leading up to the coveted Game of the Year spot. These, of course, are my own opinions and only games I have actually played are eligible. Let's begin with best downloadable game!
Best Downloadable Game of 2011 Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes
Never having played a Might and Magic game, I had no interest in the universe whatsoever. But the idea of an RPG with battles that are puzzle-based intrigued me. So I gave the demo a shot and I was hooked! I purchased the game and got 100% completion in about 40 hours. Multiplayer options give the game longevity. But the main game is really good, and worth the price of admission alone. Clash of Heroes also has some amazing music. Skip to 3:30 for my favorite part of the following track.
Do not just listen to me. Try out the trial version of the game yourself if you like RPGs and puzzle games. Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes gets an 8.5 out of 10, and honor of being the best downloadable game of 2011!
Best Portable Game of 2011 Super Mario 3D Land
They took the best of the 2D Mario gameplay and mixed it with the feel of the 3D games, and what we got was Super Mario 3D Land. The 3D effects were well used too. While not as good as the Galaxy series, SM3DL uses tried and true gameplay, and puts in enough new to make it one of the best games available on the 3DS. Super Mario 3D Land gets an 8.5 out of 10.
Console Second Runner-Up Gears of War 3
The story mode of Gears of War 3 had its moments, but felt secondary to the multiplayer, which is fine. The multiplayer is what keeps everyone coming back for more. And thankfully, there are many improvements to the multiplayer. Unfortunately, there are always going to be problems and exploits that can ruin the fun a little. However, Gears of War seems to always draw me back in more than any other shooter. I am still playing this game with friends. Gears of War 3 gets an 8.5 out of 10.
Console First Runner-Up The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
I almost made this number 1. Almost. And the main reason I did not was there were some control issues I experienced. But the controls are very innovative and are amazing when they work well. I do not remember being so immersed in combat before. The battles are also some of the more difficult in the series because figuring out how to fight a new enemy can be a little puzzle in itself.
Furthermore, there are portions in the game where it felt like they were artificially lengthening the game. This isn't nearly as bad as in Phantom Hourglass where you had to return and redo the Temple of the Ocean King. In fact, I would recommend everyone stay away from Phantom Hourglass due to its tediousness. But I recommend everyone with a Wii to play Skyward Sword. Its positives are just too good. Some of the best level design I have ever seen, which is saying a lot when it comes to the Zelda series.
I also really enjoyed the story, and the music is just beautiful.
Amazing boss battles, music, art direction, and level design means this is one game not to miss. Go play it now! Skyward Sword earns a 9 out of 10 and just narrowly misses becoming game of the year.
Best Game of 2011 Batman: Arkham City
Many of you know how much I liked Arkham Asylum. Well Rocksteady took everything great about it and ramped it up for Arkham City. However, this time they made it more open-world as opposed to the closed-corridor gameplay of AA. There are both pros and cons to this approach. We don't get as much amazing level design of the closed-corridor sections. It's there in AC, just not as prevalent of course.
Amazingly, traversing the large game world is fairly quick with Batman's grappling gun, which can be upgraded to make it even faster. But there is a flaw in the game's map. There is a huge section in the middle of the map that you cannot pass. So if you want to go from East to West, you have to go around instead of a straight line. This is annoying but not a big deal. It was probably due to hardware limitations. It is also worth pointing out that there were some loading issues during gameplay (I played the 360 version), though they were few and far between.
Catwoman adds some varied gameplay to the mix.
Back to the good in the game. The fights have improved to make you choose the right moves against the right enemies to keep your combo going. The Riddler side mission is even larger than last time, and is almost a game in itself. It will take you a long time to get everything there is to find. The open-world map also allows for multiple side missions to challenge you and lengthen gameplay. The boss fights have also been improved greatly. No longer are you fighting the same goons and titans over and over.
However, the best thing about the game is the amazing story. AC has a shocking ending that I did not see coming. Even if the game has been out for a while, I won't dare spoil it for anyone. This is a must-play game. Batman: Arkham City gets a 9 out of 10 and earns The Doctor's Prognosis' coveted Game of the Year Award!
Hope you enjoyed my best of 2011! See you again soon!
Hello and welcome to a long overdue edition of the Doctor's Prognosis! I am your humble host, Dr. C-LOS. Been very busy with work and school but everything is going really well. In the spirit of the month of Halloween, I have been playing both Castlevania: Lords of Shadow on the 360, and Castlevania: Harmony of Despair for XBox Live. My friend pointed out that Castlevania: Lords of Shadow abbreviated is C-LOS. :P
Now on to the main event! SUPER MARIO GALAXY 2 REVIEW
Super Mario Galaxy won the coveted Doctor's Prognosis' Game of the Year award back in 2007. So this sequel had a lot to live up to. Would Nintendo simply rest on their laurels and churn out the same old kind of stuff we saw last time? Fortunately, they did not.
The whole game could have looked like this and we all would have still bought it.
While SMG2 does indeed have many similarities to the first game (collecting stars, crazy gravity, etc.), the developers went out of their way to inject fresh challenges throughout. For example, Nintendo could have relied heavily on the old power-ups such as Ghost Mario and Bee Mario. Instead, while still present, these power-ups are scarce. Thus making room for the new power-ups such as the boulder-like Rock Mario, and the platform-creating Cloud Mario. Such new power-ups create new challenges for Mario to overcome.
My favorite new power-up, Cloud Mario, can create up to 3 platforms anywhere!
One of the best new power-ups, is also an old friend: the return of Yoshi! Point the Wii remote at enemies on screen to help Yoshi gobble them up and earn you star bits. Yoshi, just like the other power-ups, presents new challenges to overcome such as using Yoshi's tongue to swing around the levels, or eating certain fruits to gain even more abilities. One such fruit is the blue fruit which turns Yoshi blue, fills him with air, and allows him to float around for a bit. Red fruits make Yoshi red and give him the ability to run really fast for a while. Learning to use Yoshi will get you very far in the game and is a big part of the fun and challenge.
Yoshi changes color and gains special abilities when he eats certain fruits.
Of course with all the new power-ups comes some great new level designs creating new challenges whether it is tailored to using the power-ups, or simply testing your timing and patience. Nintendo got very wicked with their level designs and present a game even more challenging than the previous one. Difficulty will range from very easy, to extremely hard.
Awesome boss fights are another part of the fun and challenge.
The beauty about SMG2 is that it can appeal to anyone of any age and of any ability in playing games. There are many ways to go throughout the game and collect stars that new gamers can avoid the more difficult levels and challenges. Meanwhile, hardcore gamers will relish the difficulty of obtaining every star (this reviewer lost about 50 men, and the feeling in his arms, just to get the final star).
You might feel like this after getting all the stars. I did.
Also worth mentioning, the music is just as good as the previous game. Once again, Nintendo did not rest on their laurels and composed a lot of new music. Of course, there are some from the last game, but those are used sparingly. And of course, there are still arrangements of Mario games of yore. But they always seem to be used where it seems most appropriate as opposed to just being thrown in for nostalgia sake. And more importantly, purple coins are back (in both the level and musical sense)!
As has been the focus of this review, Nintendo could have indeed been lazy and churned out a game very similar to what we had in the first Super Mario Galaxy and it would still have been a great game. But instead we have an incredible game with some imaginative level design, and some wicked difficulty. The game is also much more streamlined, eschewing the giant spaceship world hub for a Mario-shaped spacecraft that will quickly take you to the level you want. And while it would be pushing it to say they raised the bar as much as they did with the first SMG, it would also be extremely difficult to find anything objectively wrong with the game. This is a game where if you die, it is your own fault. Not because the camera was in the way, or because the game was unfair, but because you timed your jump incorrectly, or pushed the analog stick too far to the right. There are not many games like that out there but Mario usually seems to fit into this category. And this Mario game definitely fits into that category. And that is why, with some hesitation, and still unable to come up with any good reason to the contrary, Super Mario Galaxy 2 gets a 10 out of 10.
"Yahoo!" "Yoshi!"
I hope you enjoyed my review! I almost did not give the game a 10 because of the motion controlled levels. It was my least favorite part but I realized I still could not put my controller down and had fun doing them. And they were really challenging. Nintendo is diabolical I tell you!
And yes I really did get every single star. And yes it did take me about 50 lives to get the last one. My arm was in terrible condition by the time I got it. If you want to know, the last star takes place in the most difficult level in the game, and you have to finish it without getting hit a single time! You must be masochistic to attempt it! Or stupid...... Oh wait! :P
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the latest edition of The Doctor's Prognosis! Hopefully the next one won't be so far off. Don't forget to make another appointment! See you soon!
