Nintendo Wii and 18th century Lit. (perfect combo!)

Alexandre Dumas wrote a book about the infamous, “The Man in the Iron Mask,” in the late eighteen hundreds. If you’re wondering why a video game column is about to begin with a discussion on 18th century literature, bear with me, I think I can make a point out of this.
The story is about the famous french prisoner, “The Man in the Iron Mask,” who, in the fictional story, is the true price of France and is imprisoned by his twin. The twin rises to power and this pretender to the throne keeps the true prince confined for years. This same idea occurs in the tale of “Robin Hood” when King John takes over the country of England while the true king — King Richard — is away at war.
But, the fun for the pretenders is over when the king returns to the throne.
Well, and here is where I finally get to the video games, Sony and Microsoft (whose Xbox 360 is a phenomenal system) should take note, pretenders to the throne be wary.
The king is back.
Nintendo has returned to the forefront of the console war with the all new, all awesome Nintendo Wii.
It’s no lie to say this new little box is all that and a bag of chips. Sorry for the dated slang, but it had to be said.
When I first picked up the controller for this system, I was floored by how responsive and innovative it instantly felt. And the pick up and play “Wii Sports”, the game that came with it, felt completely natural right off the bat, pun intended.
The trick of the Nintendo Wii however, isn’t in its ability to process jaw dropping graphics like other systems on store shelves. Nope, as with most magicians, the trick is in the wand, or I should say, the “Wii-mote”. The system itself is a small box that can play Wii disks and Nintendo Gamecube disks and the hardware inside isn’t much different from that of the years old Nintendo Gamecube. The Nintendo Wii has comparable graphics to a Gamecube, but a faster processor and more RAMM memory. However, the control is all new.
You start by placing a small sensor bar by your TV screen and grasping the “Wii-mote” in your hand. From there on, the system can read your arm and hand movements to immerse you in the game like never before. In a brilliant move, Nintendo includes “Wii Sports” with the system. Other systems available come without any games in the box. But, here you get golf, tennis, boxing, bowling and baseball. Each game has it’s pluses and minuses, with bowling and golf feeling the most responsive and boxing being this reviewer’s favorite to play.
The controller uses tiny electrified springs to feel movement and relate it to the system. So, when you play baseball, you will swing the remote and the on-screen character will follow your motions fairly realistically. It might take some getting used to, but every second of it is fun and you’ll be hitting home runs in no time.
Golf works in a similar way. Players have to stand in a golf stance and swing with good form to hit the ball, then to putt they must swing a putting motion. It works wonderfully and the fun and frustration of real golf makes the game that much more enjoyable.
Boxing is probably the least responsive, but since you can use both hands (using the “Wii-mote and a nunchuk attachment) you will really need to work and move to play this game. Once you get the basics of blocking and combos down, players will find that this game can be the most exciting (and physically tiring) game of all. You almost have to stop yourself from jumping around the room sometimes as you get into the fight.
Tennis is also great and timing is tricky, but I have found the game that gets all of my friends off the couch and excited is bowling. Somehow, the “Wii-mote” can read your smallest movements and relate it into spin and motions on the ball as you bowl. It’s amazing, really.
Reports online, note that over the Christmas season, the Nintendo Wii has outsold other systems almost 3 to 1 and as reported on Gamespot.com, in an article from the “Financial Times”, an analyst from Merrill Lynch estimates that by 2011, more than 30 percent of the country will own a Nintendo Wii.
In the 80’s, Nintendo was the king. With “Super Mario” as the shining jewel in its crown, Nintendo couldn’t be stopped by the invading armies of Sega and “Sonic the Hedgehog”. But, in the 90’s gamers grew tired of the cute little plumber, and Sony, with the Playstation and PS2 stepped into the king’s robes with games with more mature themes, better graphics and rumble feedback controllers. But, Sony’s day in the sun is over now, even if they are trying to compete by unleashing a strange and unwieldy behemoth that is the Playstation 3 on the world.
The rightful king has returned wielding a motion control sensitive sword. Nintendo, how we have missed thine cute and playful reign.

Happy Birthday

Well, If you post to a blog no one reads, does it take up bandwidth? Sorry, lame "tree falls in the woods" joke, but, it's my birthday and I'm happy about it. I'm getting old, I'm 28, and this year I am hoping to get a Nintendo Wii. Lame, I know, but that freaking thing looks sweet.

Red Sonja is a reintroduction of a classic title

The red haired, scantily-clad warrior known as Red Sonja has been around for quite some time. The character began in the pages of Marvel Comic’s “Conan the Barbarian,” in the ‘70s and was originally based on “Red Sonya of Rogatino,” who was created in a Conan story by original Conan writer Robert E. Howard, which was published in the ‘30s.
I must admit, as a long time comic reader, I perceived the Red Sonja books with a certain “here we go again” mindset. You see, like many industries, the comic industry is one of trends. If one thing is doing well, other companies will come up with their own similar book or character in an attempt to appeal to the larger audience.
Well, in the late ‘90s, comic books, as an industry, started floundering and to revive sales, a wealth of titles were started. Many tried different trends to grab the reader. It seemed readers had bored of the ‘90s notorious vigilante comics.
What I remember seeing next as an emerging trend was a wealth of “Lady Warrior”- style books hitting the market. There was a time when it looked like every title on the shelf at the local comic store was a book about a woman warrior/heroine. The trend had its pros and cons. As any teenaged fan (as I was in the 90s) will tell you, the art was great to look at, but more often than not, the stories were a chore to read. There were some standouts, of course. I kind of liked “Shi,” a book about a female ninja. “Witchblade” was also a popular title at the time, and it even spawned a live-action TV show for a while. These titles had well written stories and heroine female characters who, while being beautifully drawn, were also empowered female heroes in a generally male-dominated superhero world. But, the majority of titles released during this wave of female warrior books were dreck.
The stories were loosely tied together scenarios in which the reader was treated to sexy poses and drawings of the heroine in different outfits, but little else. Books like “Lady Death,” “Barb Wire” or even the relatively well respected “Vampirella,” were books that contained nothing but flashes of skin, with no deeper worth.
Okay, sorry about the history lesson, but I wanted to explain my mindset when I sat down to read the starting point of the current Red Sonja series. Would it be a good sword-and-sorcery revival like Kurt Buziek’s recent run on “Conan the Barbarian,” or would it be another scantily-clad heroine with as much depth as she has clothes on?
Well, honestly, the book, written by Michael Avon Oeming and Mike Carey, is a little of both. It’s a fresh take on the character, and throughout the series, artist Mel Rubi’s work is astounding, but a few chinks in her (albeit small) armor keep this collection from being legendary.
The book tells the tale of Red Sonja as she finds a walled city where the citizens hold a heavy reliance on religious beliefs. The city’s religious leader, the Celestial One, is a mysterious figure who can command magic and the people with ease. Soon after her arrival, Sonja is taken prisoner and murdered as a sacrifice in a ceremony to this city’s god.
Since it’s an ongoing series, it will not ruin the plot to tell you that, through some nifty magic spell, she survives the ceremony and leads an army back into the city to overthrow the Celestial One.
Overall, I think the story felt hollow. The only character who is fleshed out (no pun intended) is Red Sonja herself. The other characters of the book are either generic warriors or they die before they become a real element of the story. This is understandable to a point (she’s supposed to be a lone warrior). But, since so few characters have any motivation, the impact of the (seeming) death of Sonja’s love interest or the betrayal of one of her friends, is dulled because it doesn’t seem to be necessary for the reader to care about the character.
Also, when the identity of the Celestial One is revealed, it’s a let down. This should be the big payoff moment of the story, but it is weak and only leads to questions, like, “If that is who he was, how could he be ‘from the stars’?”
Nitpicking aside, it was a good read, and since this book is just the starting point for an ongoing series, Red Sonja has a long future ahead and a lot of promise. She is much more that a pretty face — she’s also an interesting character.

The waste of time that calls itself "Dead or Alive Xtreme 2"

Good graphics do not a good game make. That’s not to say that graphics don’t make a good game better, but any game that focuses on graphics alone, well, that’s sort of like putting makeup on a pig. It might look better, but underneath, it’s pretty ugly.
Such is the case with Tecmo and Team Ninja’s “Dead or Alive Xtreme 2” for the Xbox 360. Team Ninja is known for its ability to create games with incredible graphics and usually the gameplay is on par with the gorgeous scenery. Look at Team Ninja’s “Ninja Gaiden,” released a few years ago for the original Xbox, to see an example of Team Ninja’s mastery with gameplay and graphics. “Ninja Gaiden” was great, and unfortunately, it made gamers expect more from Team Ninja. However, lackluster games like “Dead or Alive Xtreme 2” seriously hurt the company’s reputation for games.
This game is a direct follow up to the original “Dead or Alive Xtreme.” But, anyone familiar with the series knows that the “Xtreme” in the title changes the “Dead or Alive” formula drastically. You see, “Dead or Alive” games are well-developed fighting games, but “Dead or Alive Xtreme” titles are all about women, friendship and mediocre games of beach volleyball. It’s quite a drastic difference.
“Dead or Alive Xtreme 2” focuses on the rebirth of “Zack’s Island,” the island paradise where the first “Dead or Alive Xtreme” took place. In this new game, the graphics are better, there are more characters, and there are more games to play, but it still feels like a thrown-together mess of a game.
The game’s premise is simple. The player selects a character (the selection is made up of female characters from the “Dead or Alive” fighting games) and proceeds to relax on the beach. Yeah, that’s about it. There’s no diabolical villain to defeat, no world to save or anything. The most you have to worry about is getting an even tan and making the other girls on the island friends with you. At times, this can be harder that stopping a diabolical villain, actually.
There are a few diversions on the island. You can play beach volleyball. It’s fun for a while but the two-button control scheme is so simple, most players will tire of this quickly. Players can also take their characters out on a jet-ski race, play tug-of-war at the pool with the other girls, or even gamble in a few card games in a casino.
This would be great, but like I said, it seems rushed. Controls on the jet-ski are difficult and remove any fun from the races. The tug-of-war and other games you can play at the pool are simple and short, so the fun doesn’t last long. And, in the casino, there are no 3-D models. I don’t understand it. The Xbox 360 is arguably the most powerful system on the market, but when you want to sit down and play poker or roulette, all you see are little icons to represent the characters playing the game. It’s like the casino is empty. The only things you see at a card table are icons and cards. Why no actual character models?
Either way, the games get old fast. With the money you will earn playing the games or by winning at the casino, you can do a number of things. You can buy new swimsuits or items. You can buy a camera and have your character pose for photo shoots. And, to win the friendship of the other girls, you can buy them gifts. But, through playing the game, you’ll need to learn about what each character likes and doesn’t like because if you get the wrong thing, these girls can get mad.
What, they never heard of re-gifting?
Overall, “Dead or Alive Xtreme 2” is a beautiful game with no substance. The girls and the island look fantastic and most players will enjoy just looking at the graphics. But, that gets old really quick and unless you want to spend $300 on the Xbox 360 and $60 on this game, just to play dress up, save yourself the effort and get a Barbie doll. Team Ninja and Tecmo can do better than this.

Marvel's Spider-man: Reign

As an industry, comic books are struggling. If it wasn’t for movie licenses and merchandise deals, most comic publishers would have gone bankrupt years ago. Comics are a strange beast. They are often very well-written books full of impressive artwork. Yet, the majority of the population looks upon comics as nothing more than silly, childish publications. Even avid book readers, who willingly rush to the stores to pick up the next Dan Brown page-turner or line up for miles when the newest “Harry Potter” book hits the shelves, have no respect for the comic medium.
The only respect I have for the “Harry Potter” books are that they do a fine job of getting children to read. In my opinion, J.K. Rowling is just ripping off the story of “Simon the Sorcerer,” a video game released in 1993.
But, I digress, because in reality, imitation is the sinserest form of flattery. If Rowling is indeed flattering the crew at Adventure Soft, who developed the “Simon the Sorcerer” games, then with the recently released comic, “Spider-man: Reign,” writer/illustrator, Kaare Andrews is flattering Frank Miller like crazy.
You see, back in 1986, writer/artist Frank Miller wrote a book entitled “The Dark Knight Returns.” The book is a classic in the world of comicdom. It is set in a future where crime runs rampant. Batman has disappeared because Bruce Wayne (aka, well, if you don’t know who Bruce Wayne is, this column might be over your head) is haunted by the death of his side-kick, Robin. Without ruining the plot for those who haven’t read it, Batman, well, he returns (it’s right there in the title of the book), and things progress. When that book was released, it shocked the comic-reading community, and Miller’s book is still held in high regard almost 20 years later.
I could not review “Spider-man: Reign,” without referencing Miller’s “Dark Knight Returns.” There are hints of that story all over Andrews’ current project.
This is another story set in the future, but instead of being set in a city riddled with crime, it is, instead, a city gripped tight by the order of the ruling class. In a obvious nod to current events, Andrews’ New York of the future is a city gripped by fear of terrorism. It is a city that has been convinced by its mayor that the only solution to keep out the unwanted terrorist element is a “web.” The web is a netting of lasers that blankets the city and keeps everyone out who is unwanted, but it also traps the citizens inside.
Peter Parker (aka your friendly neighborhood web-slinger) is introduced as an old man who has hung up his tights years ago. He is haunted by a death, just as Miller’s Batman was — the death of his wife, Mary Jane.
The first issue sees an elderly Peter Parker fired from his job at a flower shop, and as he walks home, he gets into a tussle with the ever-present, oppressive New York police force known as “Reign.” Now you know where the title comes from.
Andrews, as writer and artist, is fantastic. His dialogue is smartly written, while the panels and artwork are just phenomenal. Andrews said in an interview with the Web site Newsrama.com, that he plotted the book out like a movie screenplay before he started to do any work on the final product. The extra work shows, and it is easy for readers to envision this book as a movie.
By the end of the first issue, Parker has had his arm broken by the Reign, and he has been reunited with his old boss from his days as a photographer for the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson. Jameson came bearing a gift, and soon, Spider-man is showing the Reign soldiers that you can’t mess with every old man you meet.
The second issue reintroduces some familiar enemies (I spotted Dr. Octopus, Electro, Kraven and even Mysterio in there), and two more issues are on the way later this year.
The third issue came out last week, and shows some slipping points in the series. There are a few moments when it was dificult for the reader to understand what what happening in reality and what Spider-man was imagining. I feel that if this was a six-issue series, maybe some of the characters could have more room to breate (or in Doc Ock's case, rot) but, that's just because I'm interested in seeing what every character has been up to while Parker's been gone. But, the coming climax looks interesting and I'll be first in line for issue 4.
The story may have some similar elements to Miller’s classic tale, but overall Andrews’ book is genius and should not be overlooked because of a few fleeting similarities to another classic book.

New to you

Hey, internet.
How's it going? I've been staring at this internet space for a while now and it's about time I moved in. I'm planning on throwing up some comic book and video game reviews today and maybe my thoughts on the old "Aqua Teen" Boston scare. So, I'm going to get to it. My names Hayden and I'm from Philly, nice to meet you Internets, what a nice series of tubes you have.