REVIEW of Octodad: Dadliest Catch / World’s Best Cephalo.Pa

Well here it goes… the first review of 2014. It has been exactly 2 months since my last post right here on the Steam of Consciousness blog. Between school, work, and being lazy, I haven’t taken the time to review Steam games… and I really missed it. So, with that being said, let’s start fresh and let the reviews begin! I thought the best way to kick off my game reviews for 2014 is with a game so wild, weird, and conceptually fresh that it’s hard to recall any game quite like it. Its name is Octodad: Dadliest Catch and it’s currently offered up on Steam for $14.99 USD. This game reminds me of other wildly hilarious games like Katamari Damacy, Sumotori Dreams, and QWOP and, like QWOP or Sumotori, features a protagonist whose main challenge is trying to mimick human movement despite a lack of bone structure.

Octodad’s plot is simply this: you are an octopus who dresses, acts, and has a family like a normal human father and must convince everyone else that you are, in fact, a regular human dad. Despite your wife and kids who are hilariously blind to you being an Octopus, there is an angry Sushi Chef who is out to turn the beloved Octodad into “moderately priced sushi” as he follows you through the different areas in the game.  In order to perpetuate the idea that he is a human father, Octodad must attend his own wedding, attend to his domestic affairs, go grocery shopping, and visit the dreaded aquarium before the story reaches its conclusion. The scenarios are hilarious and the difficulty Octodad finds getting by in day-to-day situations makes for an interesting tale worthy of a primetime sitcom. The voice acting is a nice touch to the story and really keeps with the pacing as people react to the different things you do in the game.

But Octodad’s story isn’t the selling point of this game- everything about the game centers around its movement mechanic. Without the hilariously difficult controls that move Octodad’s hands and feet (er, tentacles), this game would not exist. Octodad can only control one limb at any time and alternating between both of his legs and his hands is a joy to watch- he practically destroys everything in his path when trying to walk! The game becomes challenging with the addition of a ‘suspicion meter’ at the bottom of the screen- suspicion is triggered when human beings see you knocking everything down in your path or when you accidentally smack them with one of your tentacles. The suspicion element progresses and becomes somewhat difficult toward the end when you run into marine biologists at the aquarium who know an octopus when they see one. Although the controls make it somewhat difficult to maneuver around the different stages, the controls are well thought out and, when mastered, can be a breeze to handle when doing simple tasks.

The first Octodad was a freeware game that featured similar gameplay elements, but only allowed one player to use a keyboard and mouse to control the octopus. Fortunately, this time around, players have the option to use keyboard and mouse or a gamepad and both work great. Along with this, two to four players can be invited along to play the local co-op mode where one player takes the keyboard and mouse and controls either the arms or legs, and the other players take a gamepad and choose to control the other arms or the legs. Another option is available that allows the cooperative teammates to play roulette with the tentacles: after a task is completed, random tentacles are assigned to the player – so I could be controlling the right hand and right leg while the second player could only be controlling the left leg… once a task is done, I could end up controlling the left hand while the second player takes control of the left and right legs. Co-op adds a lot of replay value to this game- after beating story mode, I was able to go back with my friend and share some new laughs as we tried to get Octodad to move in the same direction. There is a lot of value in playing with friends- it’s great to show to a buddy who has never seen or heard of Octodad and say “hey, want to play a really strange video game?” and see the pleasantly surprised look on their face when they see that we’re an Octopus trying to moonlight as a human dad.

The only big thing I have found disappointing about Octodad: Dadliest Catch is its length. I was able to complete the story in somewhere around 3 hours for my first playthrough- this includes me messing around, trying to get a handle on the game mechanics, and exploring some of the levels for secrets or pop culture references. And while it did end in around 3 hours, every minute of the game was totally worth it- I had a great time as it never got old. There is incentive to replay the story after beating it, too, there are 3 ties hidden in every stage (and are a bitch to get a hold of) and there are several fun achievements that make it worth going back and experiencing again. The games developer, Young Horses, have also added a level editor and Steam Workshop support. I was able to download some neat user-created maps for Octodad and it has really contributed to the game’s replayability. The camera that follows you in the game would be my only other complaint- for the most part, it behaves itself and follows you around well, but there are times when it becomes inconvenient and only gives you one perspective in a stage where it would be useful to get another angle and see your character hiding behind in-game elements. While $14.99 may be a bit high for the game’s length alone, the asking price can be justified in that Octodad is a hilairous romp, oozing with charm and personality and offers more than just a story mode… PLUS the game has an awesome theme song, and who can put a price on having a great theme? But seriously, let’s face it- at the end of the day, what gamer wouldn’t like to be under the sea in an Octodad’s garden, in the shade?

Steam Recommendation:

Definitely buy it, but you can wait for a Steam sale

+Great sense of humor

+Hard, but rewarding controls

+Steam workshop and Local Co-Op

-Short Story Mode

-Camera can be iffy at times

+You play as an Octopus Dad… ’nuff said

Steam of Consciousness: A year in review

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it looks like the year is coming to a close, and what an interesting year it has been! For one thing- this is the year that I started this very blog and I’ve really enjoyed the response I’ve got from all of you lovely readers. In what started out as a project for my Writing Across the Media class, this blog has turned into a functioning forum for video game discussion. Whether it’s receiving feedback from readers like you or the peers that I talk to about content on this blog, I’ve found that my quest to introduce gamers to new and interesting games has not gone in vain. I’ll continue to keep spreading the word about interesting Steam games as long as the interest is there- and with 2014 promising Steam O.S. and the Steam Box, there will certainly be something to talk about here on this blog.

The Mighty Steam Box- Behold!

Looking back at this year- we’ve seen some interesting games on this blog: remember that time I talked about “The Stanley Parable”? That was arguably one of my favorite indie titles of the year! And do you remember my first review? I certainly do. It was of Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs- it certainly wasn’t as scary as it’s predecessor, but damn did it have some hauntingly good music. There was a lot to celebrate this year- and on this blog I celebrated my favorite local co-op games like Spelunky and Castle Crashers. It’s been an interesting year and I hope to cover even more titles in 2014.

This has been a great year for Steam, too- it’s the first time they surpassed more users than Xbox Live which is a MASSIVE achievement. They also announced the steambox- which is being used to compete with the Playstation 4 and the Xbox One in the console wars. It’ll certainly be interesting to see how it pans out. Added to Steam this year was the ability for developers to release Early Access Games- games that aren’t quite finished, but are still playable. This move increases the amount of feedback developers can get on an unfinished product and help make it the best game it can be (the same cannot be said for microsoft and their relationship with its indie developers). I think it’s only appropriate to give a rousing round of applause to Valve for its work on Steam this year. Claps for you, Steam!

As we head for a new year full of changes- I guess it would only be appropriate to make some resolutions for this blog. But first, I need to know what I should change- if anyone out there has any idea as to what should happen with the blog in 2014, send your ideas my way in the comments section. As always- this steam machine is always chugging.
So Happy Holidays from the Steam of Consciousness, I’m Jacob Garr and I’ll be seeing you in 2014.

Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Steam / The top 5 holiday games

Christmas Time is quickly approaching- and with the Holiday 2013 sale swiftly approaching, it’s only right to flaunt the 5 best yuletide game experiences on Steam- so without further ado, The top 5 holiday games on Steam!

5. Sam and Max Season 2: Ice Station Santa

Santa has gone on a bender in season 2 of TellTale’s smash series Sam and Max. It’s up to the furry duo to get Santa from naughty back to nice- but he’s not going to cooperate as long as satanic forces are at work. In this hilarious episode, Sam and Max must save christmas and reveal a wacky plot involving the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

4. Skyrim Mods: Christmastime in Skyrim

One thing about the Elder Scrolls games that never ceases to amaze me is that the modding community for this game is amazing. Skyrim is no exception with mods like “It’s Christmas in Skyrim” which really bring on the holiday cheer despite the strong religious differences plaguing the land- as long as Aunt Margaret doesn’t bring up her belief in Daedric gods at the dinner table, we should get along just fine. “It’s Christmas in Skyrim” adds Christmas trees and wreaths to the major towns in Skyrim’s massive world- Merry Christmas, Dovahkiin!

3. Terraria’s Candy Cane Houses

Terraria is all about creating whatever you want in its wildly imaginative sandbox world- and Christmas time adds a sweeter flare by introducing Christmas gifts containing candy cane bricks so that you can construct your own candy cane houses. Just don’t eat them first!

2. Serious Sam 3- Serious Santa

One thing to love about the madcap shoot ’em up Serious Sam 3: BFE is that it is never afraid of being silly. If you’re in the holiday mood, there is a skin that Sam can wear in-game called ‘Serious Santa’. In seconds, you transform from the disgruntled action hero to a jolly fatman. Nothing will bring about Christmas cheer like blasting alien scum as Serious Santa- something tells me he didn’t stop after conquering the martians.

1. Team Fortress 2: A very Team Fort Christmas

If it’s something that Team Fotress always does right, it’s holidays. From Halloween to Christmas, the First Person Shooter always makes things interesting. Every Christmas, new weapons, maps, and costumes are available to really bring on the cool yule. Last Christmas had a free Christmas present that you could give to any other player on the server- there was even a heart monitor that would show if your heart grew by giving gifts JUST LIKE THE GRINCH! I’m really looking forward to TF2’s Christmas- and while most of the red on the map will be buckets of cartoon blood and not holiday decorations, you can bet it will still be a holly jolly Christmas.

Review of Risk of Rain / Let’s get risky

2013 has been a good year for Rogue-Likes on Steam, and what better way to finish the year than with an awesome Rogue-Like like Risk of Rain. Risk of Rain is 9.99 USD and is currently available on the PC platform.

Risk of Rain is just like Spelunky and Rogue Legacy, the other Rogue-Like titles that made a splash on the market this year,  it has a one-death game-over policy and the stakes run high for anyone playing. What makes risk of rain unique from the other two are its art style, it’s combat system that reminds me of Diablo with its special attacks, and its awesome soundtrack. The game stars a stranded astronaut that must fight his way through each stage to survive- however, survival isn’t easy. Personally, I have only been able to get through the first couple of stages and then proceeded to die afterward. You have a space-gun at your disposal and you have some cool and helpful super-moves that can help you maneuver through waves and waves of ruthless enemies. The enemies are hard, the bosses are hulking monolithic beings that give you little chance of survival, and the environments are large and take some time to explore.

There are a couple factors that you can make work for you on this perilous journey, however, and these would be the factors of time and money. Time plays a huge part in Risk of Rain- the longer you play through the game, the harder it gets. If you can manage to get all the items and power-ups you need to take on each level’s final boss within a reasonable time, then you will find it much easier to progress. However, time only makes the game harder and really gets you moving so you aren’t in the same level for thirty minutes. You’d think that this game mechanic would be frustrating, but it really helps move the action along- plus, I found it to be an adequate amount of time to explore the stage and escape before it gets any harder. Another factor is grabbing up loot- if you get enough money, you can afford to purchase items that you find lying around throughout each stage. These items can be very unique and quite necessary when traversing through alien terrain. In one play-through you can pick up a sentry gunning pet that helps you attack enemies, or you could pick up an item like a heart that will heal you if you idle out for a few seconds. The items really keep the game interesting and give you a fighting chance. The more you play, the more items you find and the better you get at surviving.

Although the game’s death system is frustrating, the game keeps things fresh by promising unlockable characters and items if you manage to progress further or play more. While I haven’t unlocked any other classes than the basic engineer you start out with, I have googled these classes and each one is unique from the other- every unlocked character has unique abilities, immunities, and vulnerabilities that change the way the game is played. Along with that, the items I have unlocked so far are really interesting and help each playthrough feel unique. Along with procedurally generated worlds, this game has a certain freshness about it even though you  will die and have to replay it again and again.

Steam Reccomendation: Worth it for the price

+Fun Gameplay

+Tight controls

+Intense combat/boss battles

– Constant death can make the game feel like a waste of time

– Unlockable characters can be too difficult to get

 

EARLY ACCESS PREVIEW of STARBOUND -This game is intergalactic planetary planetary intergalactic

You’re bound to appreciate StarBound

Starbound is an awesome game- but it’s not quite finished yet. Is it out on Steam? Yes, but it is still in early access mode. Does this mean it doesn’t play well right now? Absolutely not- it feels like a complete game at the moment. Am I posing too many questions that I’m just going to answer immediately afterward? Perhaps.

Starbound’s early access is exciting- this is a game I’ve been waiting for ever since I preordered it a few months back. This game has beautiful worlds, fantastic online gameplay, and exploration that really keeps things fresh. How was my experience, you may ask? Well I’ll tell you:

When I first launched Starbound, I was given options for what race of being I wanted to play as- so, naturally, I chose the avian race (BIRD PEOPLE!). My avian adventurer, that I thoughtfully named ‘Chirps’, was then alive and moving inside his very own spaceship. Right off the bat- things got awesome- after a little exploration of my ship’s functions and features, I was able to teleport down to my home-planet’s surface Star Trek style. Many skeptics are likely to think this is a knockoff of Re-Logic’s smash hit game Terraria- I mean, the game’s artist worked on Terraria, and the game has similar elements like mining ores and elements to become more powerful- but it isn’t like Terraria at all, it focuses more on exploration and quests and has elements of mining present because, why not?! You’re traveling from planet to planet, its only natural that you’re going to want rare exports from each planet to increase your wealth and power!

With that rant out of the way, one of the first things you do on your home planet is mine for ore so that you can build basic items that you’ll need. While mining, it is likely that you’ll encounter dangerous beasts of the wilderness or other races of individuals that can either help you or hurt you on your quest. The most unique difference from the game right off the bat when trying to compare the game to Terraria is that you have a special futuristic tool that does damn near everything you need it to- it can mine, place building materials on the ground, it can chop down trees… I really like this thing! The problem with Terraria is that you get thrown into the fire and you have to learn, by either finding out yourself or googling it, that you should get the tools you need to do anything in the game. Starbound outright gives you a tool that will solve your problems and basically says, “If you want a faster tool, make that tool yourself- but if you need my assistance, i’ll be here in your inventory to help.” This is a nice feature and really helps you jump into the gameplay without scratching your head for an hour or two.

The last thing that I’ve done by myself in Starbound and unsuccessfully so, is fight the tutorial boss. This boss is hard- ridiculously hard to destroy. I could tell you what the boss is- but that would spoil the surprise. I’ll just tell you this- the tutorial quests really are the bare bones for prepping for the boss battle, if you want to take down this sucker yourself- you’re going to need to make better weapons and armor. I’m really set on beating this boss… but alas, I have failed. You’d think I’d be mad about not beating the boss, but i’m not really- it’s my fault for not prepping for a battle and i’m glad that this game promises difficulty for its bosses because  otherwise, i’d be bored hacking and slashing bosses without having to use any tact or skill.

The final thing I want to talk about before closing on these first impressions is the online- the online gameplay is where this game will exceed. Bar none. I’ve got a taste of playing Starbound online with some buddies and it really adds a dimension of fun to the game. Cooperating to clear out a mine or take down a boss really brings out the game’s full potential- and the fact that online gameplay doesn’t force you to stick with your friends is a nice touch (you can travel to different planets and do whatever you want while your friends are off mining in a cavern). Another aspect of the online that I think is great is the text-based chat: if you type a message out to friends, the text then appears in a speech bubble if that friend is nearby as if they’re communicating in the game- it’s a nice little touch that I think adds charm to the online experience.

So there you have it- if you’re sitting on the fence about Starbound early access, get off the fence and grab a copy! Starbound is good, adventurous fun and with the promise of large content updates in the future for this game, I could see this becoming one of the biggest Steam titles in 2014.

Steam Screams / The top 6 terroriffic games on Steam

Hello kiddies, Welcome to this week’s VERY LATE installment from the Steam of Consciousness.  This (end-of-the-) week, we take a look at the top 666, I mean 6, dark or horrific video games currently being offered through steam. So, without further ado- here’s the list.

6. Bioshock

As beautiful as it is distopian, the first bioshock offers up a haunting atmosphere and some genuinely unsettling moments. The world of Rapture is, as its name suggests, a land of ruin. Rapture is an underwater city based on the ideas of extreme liberty and total independence from other human beings- but when every part of society breaks apart and the people go too far, the city becomes a crumbling nightmare that the protagonist must survive. Aside from the great atmosphere, there are some genuinely horrific parts in the game that sets itself apart from games made for the sole purpose of horror- when thinking of these moments, I am reminded of a scene in the surgeon area of the game where you come across a room where the lights shut off and you are shrouded in darkness, you proceed to wait as you hear footsteps and maniacal laughing until the lights quickly flash back on- you continue to hear footsteps and then, out of nowhere, a ghoulish looking gang starts to attack you. Heartpounding jumpscares like that were totally effective in this game because it’s not a game all about being scared out of your seat- it’s about immersion into this dark world. This game is truly exceptional in creating one of the best and creepiest atmospheres around.

5. Left 4 Dead 2

Ah, Left 4 Dead 2, a zombie-ripping good time. Developers Valve have put a lot of charm into this co-operative zombie shooter where you play as one of four zombie-apocalypse survivors. The team of survivors has one simple goal- to hack through hordes of zombies in order to get from point A’s beginning to point B which comes in the form of a safehouse or escape vehicle. Along the way, players fight countless zombies, super-mutant zombies such as the goo-puking spitter or high flying hunter, and a series of roadblocks/obstacles that must be cleared while fighting off zombies. While the game isn’t scream-out-loud scary, it’s very fun and constantly stressful. The best part about Left 4 Dead is the co-operative angle: the horror really comes from ensuring you and your team’s safety when running through the streets of post-apocalyptic New Orleans- the stress increases when you have to fight off a large group of zombies just to get to your teammate and save them near seconds before they die. Another part of the game that adds to the shriek factor is the special mutant-zombies- the scariest for me is the witch who cries and doesn’t attack unless you make loud sounds, shoot her, or just piss her off… god that scream she has is horrific.

4. Doom

Doom- good old Doom. ID software’s masterpiece was a revolutionary PC game then, and it’s still a ton of fun to play now. Without Doom, horror shooters wouldn’t be where they are today- the game is just that good. While games never age too gracefully in terms of looks, gameplay can often hold up over time and still be just as awesome as it was on day one of the game’s release- this is certainly the case for Doom. While doom hasn’t scared me, it has created an awesome looking hell-world with lots of well-designed demons. I enjoy the energy that comes from the gameplay in Doom- it’s full throttle demon slaying action and it never ceases to amuse. If gamers want good, fun, chatoic action over graphics, then Doom will prove to be a hauntingly good time.

3. Walking Dead: The Game Season One

Tell-Tale made an awesome heart-felt experience when they produced the Walking Dead video game (based on Robert Kirkman’s comics more than the show). This game is a sort of point and click adventure in a zombie-wasteland where you play as Lee, a man with a troubled past over the span of five episodes. This game deals more with loss and heartbreak more than it does screams- but there is some very well-done horror in this game. One of the best horror moments in this season was when a friend of yours goes missing and, at dinner, it is revealed that the farmers you’re with have made his legs into dinner which sits on plate right in front of you- a few scenes later and you find your friend without his legs trying to crawl for help. That scene was one of the most messed up and disturbing things that I’ve seen in games- this is impressive considering that the animation style could underplay some realistic scenes in the game, but they really don’t take much away from the reality of these horrific experiences. The Walking Dead game makes you really care about the characters and situations that you find yourself in when playing the game- it helps draw out the horror when you really get to know and identify with the other survivors who get taken by unforeseen consequences. On top of the possibility of losing other survivors- the game is built around decision making and really immerses the player by allowing them to make choices that affect the outcome of the story.

2. Alan Wake

Alan Wake is a great horror game- it draws inspiration from anything and everything in suspenseful horror from Stephen King to Twin Peaks and beyond. The game is about suspense/horror/mystery novelist Alan Wake who looks to escape from his busy life and visit a quaint town in hopes of escaping- but he is far from escaping when he finds himself living out a reality based upon the pages of his new manuscript. The game breaks up into ‘episodes’ and begins and ends like a horror TV episode- it’s a unique and unparalleled experience. Alan usually spends these episodes trying to delve deeper into the mystery of his manuscript while fighting off swarms of possessed townspeople who can be beaten with a combination of light and fire-power. While I wasn’t in love with the game’s ending, the journey there was fantastic and well worth playing. The game has good humor, good horror, and plenty of personality.

1. Amnesia: The Dark Descent

AUGHHH! God this game is scary. Amnesia is probably one of the scariest games i’ve ever played- and it’s not because things pop out at you (which is scary too), but it is one of the most psychologically taxing games I’ve ever played. The use of sound, insanity, the stretching of rooms, the nightmare creatures that actively pursue you, and the air of unknowing make this game so scary that I can only play for minutes at a time. You play as Daniel, an Amnesia ridden fellow who, through the use of documents and journal entries, slowly recalls events of his troubled past. The game is subtle and extremely effective in making you feel unsafe, followed, and insane- which makes it one of the most paranoid experiences in gaming. This game definitely merits a top spot as one of the scariest games of all time- It’s definitely worth picking up if you want some scream in your Steam.

MOD SPOTLIGHT of Trouble In Terrorist Town / A series of failed trust fall exercises

Here on ‘Steam of Consciousness’, I have decided to start a segment that spotlights game modifications (for any steam game) that happen to catch my eye. I figured the best way to launch this segment with one of my favorite mods: Trouble in Terrorist Town.

This modification requires the following steam games to play:

• Counter Strike: Source
• Garry’s Mod

This Mod is great because, unlike most online shooters where mindlessly gunning down enemies for points is rewarded, randomly shooting people is penalized as the game focuses on deductive logic to determine who should be killed. The game’s concept is simple: There are a gang of terrorists that everyone plays as- but not every terrorist is faithful to the cause and could be a traitor who wants his comrades dead. The goal of non-traitor characters is to determine who the traitors are before they are killed by them and it is the traitor’s goal to use deceit and stealth to take out ‘innocent’ terrorists. Thrown into the mix is the ever-important detective who can trace DNA trails off of fresh corpses and try to find the Traitor. The result is madcap violence paired with careful logic and a surprising air of ethical concern.

This Mod is a ton of fun to play with friends and voice chat is almost necessary to have when playing because of all the double crossing and explanation that has to take place. The game could have 2 or 3 traitors on voice chat blaming you for a murder they committed- so you have to be ready to explain yourself and prove that the enemy is causing all the trouble to the other terrorists. The game’s interesting use of Counter Strike: Source plots weapons that can be picked up to kill at any time and instantly dropped so that no one can prove that you were the killer. Most maps are based off of old counter strike maps, but there is also a variety of new maps for the game including my favorite: a replica of the mansion from the movie “Clue” (with all the secret passageways and even the breaker box!) The maps, the weapons, and the team dynamic all contribute to a tense and heart-pumping situation.

It was a traitor, in the ballroom, with a rifle!

The game’s most appealing aspect is the psychology behind it- it plays on an element of fear and distancing that human beings often struggle with. Not many games put you in a place where you feel vulnerable- you can’t shoot everyone without receiving penalties and you are being watched by someone constantly. The lack of trust creates people who feel the need to group up or people who prefer to be alone because of the fact that anyone could be a traitor. The game works best when everyone gets into character and wants to get to the bottom of a ‘who-dunnit’ mystery. This game sort of reminds me of those ‘murder in the ballroom’ parties where people become a character and a story unfolds- although nobody is playing a character, people take on the idea that this could be a real situation and treat it as such. The only failure of this game comes from players who realize that it’s just a game and start randomly killing people regardless of the consequence- the random killings make the game that much more intense, but it can also ruin the game for those looking for a more authentic experience. Luckily- server overseers can boot any RDM’ing players that decide to shoot up the whole gang of terrorists. Aside from minor annoyances brought on by trollish killers who try and ruin the game, much of the community takes the experience and makes it feel like a heavy situation that unfolds as you play in each match.

Matches can take a long time- that may be my only other complaint about this otherwise awesome mod. If you get killed by a traitor within the first few minutes of a usually ten-minute game, then you find yourself just spectating the action and talking with other dead players. It can get boring spectating the match isn’t your thing- and, although there’s a minigame where you can posses objects on the map, it only proves to be fun for so long until you get very bored. Waiting for matches is worth it, though- each round guarantees a new experience with danger around every corner. Detectives find DNA, innocents follow other players around, and traitors plant bombs and off innocents. after repeated playthroughs- I never really found myself bored with the gameplay because of the new experiences and the overall feeling of improvement with logic and combat. Trouble in Terrorist Town, or TTT, is not just a shooter- it’s an interesting social experiment and game that puts brain before brawn. This mod comes highly recommended and is a blast to play with steam friends.

Traitors gonna trait.

REVIEW of PacMan Championship Edition DX+ / Pac on crack

Many retro arcade games have been ushered into the 21st century as remakes with updated graphics and new gameplay elements . Unfortunately, many of these remakes with their all of their bells and whistles fail to bring anything new to the table and end up sucking. But every now and then you get a retro arcade update that makes changes in all the right places and keeps things fresh- in other words, the David Bowie of video games- and Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ IS that sort of game. Pac Man Championship Edition DX+ released on September 24 for Steam (available for PC only) and costs 9.99 USD.

In this iteration of Pac-Man, you get chased by a conga-line of ghosts

The formula for Pac-Man C.E. DX’s success is that it focuses on puritanical fun- it takes the pac-man base game that gamers are all too familiar with and then poses the question ‘how can we make pac man exciting again?’ The question is answered when game developers Mine Loader Software create new maps for pac-man to traverse and, instead of having just 4 ghosts chase pac-man, throw hundreds of ghosts in the maze for some madcap hi-jinks. While ghosts in classic pac-man roamed the board in pursuit of our big-mouthed protagonist, most ghosts in this game are asleep until you pass them and wake them up from their supernatural slumber. When Pac-Man wakes up ghosts, they form a spectral single-file line behind him until he can salvage a ‘power-pellet’ that allows him to eat the ghosts behind him. This aspect of the game is what makes it shine- it feels very satisfying to grab a power pellet and eat a line of 30 ghosts behind me thus ending a long and stressful pursuit (until the next round of ghosts ships in).

“You’re locked in here with me!”

The main goal behind the game is very well grounded in retro objectives: you are eating as many onscreen dots and ghosts to get the highest score. The game is designed to take your score and stack it against your old best-scores, your friend’s best-scores, and the world’s best scores on an online leaderboard. While playing the game is a satisfying experience in itself, it really drives home that retro-feel when you see how well you did score-wise compared to everyone else who played the game. I often care less about online leaderboards because most of them feel like an afterthought and are there because it’s a popular thing to have in video games, but pacman championship edition DX makes the player want a better score- it’s something to strive for and makes the game that much more exciting.

In the Dig-Dug DLC, Dig-Dug tries to emulate Pac-Man.

Another aspect of the game that I liked was the inclusion of bombs and game-speed. Bombs allow for players who are about to be murdered by a slew of ghosts to escape death by sending them back to the middle of the board- after getting a small breather, the ghosts regroup and chase you once again. You are allotted less and less bombs with higher difficulty levels to keep the game’s challenge alive and well. I liked the bomb feature because it allows some forgiveness in otherwise impossible-to-escape situations and makes it more fair for a player who is helplessly being chased around a pac-maze. The speed-up mechanic keeps the game lively, too. as you get better at the game and rack up a higher score, everything on the board (yourself and the ghosts) speed up and give the player less time to react to situations. Speeding up causes a lot of audible screams and cheers as the player escapes the clutches of the ghostly gang that pursues them. Once the repetition of bombs, ghosts, and game-speed leave you unsatisfied, there is DLC that tries to freshen up aspects of the game. While there is some ‘eh’ DLC like new music tracks for the game and the less-than-cool ‘pac-is-back’ skin, there is some really worthwhile DLC maps like ‘Big Eater’ and ‘Mountain Course’ and cool reskins of the game like ‘Dig-Dug’ and ‘Rally X’. My favorite DLC has to be the ‘Dig-Dug’ reskin- while the base game is still present, the map and character reskin make it feel different from the original maps and its use of sounds from the dig-dug arcade game brought back some great nostalgia.

wokka wokka wokka

Pac-Man championship edition is simply good fun- the game knows how to have a good time and doesn’t let a convoluted plot or pointless objectives get in the way of delivering pure excitement to gamers. This game is great for gamers who don’t like investing a lot of time into games and just want to sit down and feel that rush of high energy that retro arcade games offer. For those that can play games for hours on end, Pac-Man Championship Edition DX will work, too- given that you can sit down and play an arcade style game non-stop. For me, I like to fire this game up when I get home from work and need to go to bed in around an hour- it’s a game where I can quickly play a couple of rounds and be satisfied with the experience. It’s a game that I will keep launching every once and awhile when I’m looking for some great arcade fun- and the leaderboards definitely give me a reason to keep coming back and improving my skills. Pac-Man championship edition DX comes highly recommended – and if you’re unsure about it: be sure to download the demo and see what all the fun is about for yourself.

MY STEAM RECOMMENDATION: USE MONEY AND BUY THIS
+The best modern interpretation of a retro arcade game
+Crazy arcade action keeps the game fresh and exciting
+Leaderboards are well done in this game
– some lackluster DLC like the ‘pac is back’ skin

PLAYER 2 PRESS START / The TOP 10 Best Local Co+Op Games on Steam

Steam can often times be a one-man show. Most games on PC are designed with a single player or online community in mind. This certainly doesn’t help matters when your friends come over and you don’t have a single locally cooperative game in your Steam library- nobody wants to watch you play your single player games while they sit there and do nothing! Fortunately, every once and awhile on Steam, a game rolls around that offers local co-op play so your friends can tag along for the fun. With this in mind, I’ve created a top ten list for the BEST LOCAL CO-OP GAMES ON STEAM (for 2-4 players).

10. Awesomenauts 

Awesomenauts is a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game that uniquely blends the MOBA goal of protecting your base from the enemy team with elements of side-scrolling platformers. The game oozes personality with its art style reflecting that of an action-packed 80’s saturday morning cartoon (FREAKING GLORIOUS). Awesomenauts is great for co-op because it has 3 vs 3 team battles where up to 3 local players can form a team to go against A.I. players or battle other players online. Awesomenauts allows heavy customization of your character both with appearance and abilities- so each round can be totally unique. This game is great to play locally because you can instantly strategize with your friends over how your team will take over the enemy base. While I don’t play this game as heavily as some of the others on this list, it was still well worth the purchase- oh, and did I mention it had an awesome theme song? IT DOES.

9. The Cave

So a monk, an archaeologist, a hillbilly, a scientist, a couple of Creepy Twins, a knight, and a time traveler walk into a cave and- oh, I forget the rest. The cave is a unique platforming game created by Double-Fine (one of my favorite game developers in existence). The Cave is a game told from the perspective of a talking cave- up to 3 local players can choose 3 of 7 wildly unique characters with their own special abilities to take down into the heart of the talking cave in each play-through. By solving puzzles with friends, you dig deeper and deeper through the cave and find dark tales of each character’s past that continue to haunt them. What’s great about the game is that a good deal of it is made up by the characters you choose- based on the 3 characters you grab at the beginning, you will be thrown into 3 different worlds when you explore the cave and are then subject to dark (but quite humorous) stories of their pasts. You can play through the game 3 times and experience all of the different stories that the game has to offer- but at the same time, you will have to experience parts of the game that stay the same throughout and that can be a bit annoying if you’re trying to play them all in a short period of time. The Cave offers up a lot of laughs and is very fun to play with friends (solving puzzles together is where the real co-op comes in)- I’ve played through it many times and it’s highly recommended.

8. Monaco: What’s Yours Is Mine

Have you ever wanted to plan a heist with your friends just like Danny Ocean, but didn’t want to have to deal with all the trouble of getting arrested? Well, with Monaco: What’s Yours is Mine, you can live out those heist fantasies to the extreme. Monaco is a unique top-down indie game that supports up to four players who can each choose from a number of unique characters that have their own heisting skills. The game has an interesting design and art-style: it’s super minimalistic and the map looks like a blue-print or the clue game-board, but once your characters step through rooms and use their peripheral vision, they add a splash of color and reality to these blue-prints and bring the plan to life. It’s a wildly original game and the heists can go smooth or totally haywire based on how well your team works together. It’s a blast to play with friends and, personally, I love it when the plan doesn’t come together as guards hunt the team down: everybody loses their minds.

7. Trine 2

Right off the bat- any friend playing Trine 2 with you will notice that it is A) BEAUTIFUL and B) CRAZY AMOUNTS OF FUN TO PLAY. The game is about 3 travelers (controlled by up to 3 players) going on a mystical quest to save their kingdom from a dark evil. The story is simple, but the gameplay is rich. This is a rare co-op game because the characters are so wildly diverse that you will need all of them to solve puzzles whereas most co-op games can be completed with any character of your choosing. The wizard can magically create boxes from thin air that will help elevate players to higher ground but is fairly weak in battle, the thief is extremely mobile and uses her archery and grappling abilities to take care of business from a distance, and the brutish knight can use his sword, shield, and hammer to take down enemies or destroy environments in order to progress. The game has a great mix of action and puzzles so that you can partake in senseless violence at one moment and discuss puzzle solutions with your friends in the next moment. This title is definitely better with friends than by yourself because the diversity of the characters makes the game feel like it should be played cooperatively.

6. Guacamelee!

Holy Frijoles, Guacamelee is good! Guacamelee is one of the best metroid-vania type games I have ever had the pleasure of playing (y’know, besides metroid and castlevania). Metroid-vania games are games that focus on exploration and action in equal propensity and Guacamelee does this well. In fact, Guacamelee does this so well that they went and outdid themselves by adding co-op to the game, something that really hasn’t been done in metroid-vania games before. Boasting a great ‘day of the dead’ theme that dictates its artstyle and music- Guacamelee feels as good as it is to play. With action, puzzles, and much exploration to do- grabbing a second seasoned gamer and picking up Guacamelee is a great idea. However, playing co-op with a friend that isn’t as experienced with these games or playing it with a friend who drops-in halfway through the game can get frustrating as it definitely requires some skill to make progress through the wild world of Guacamelee.

5. Serious Sam 3

Why so serious? Well it’s certainly not because you’re playing Serious Sam 3. Serious Sam 3 is an action shooter game from Cro-Team (the guys who brought you previous Serious Sam installments)- and might I say, one of the craziest action shooter games I’ve ever played. Shooters come a dime-a-dozen these days and Serious Sam definitely sets itself apart by being both bat-shit crazy and tons of fun to play with friends. With 4 player local co-op, it’s a blast to sit down with friends and blaze through hordes upon hordes of alien enemies. The game’s wild customization allows everyone to choose their own character,  choose what style of cursor they want to appear onscreen, and even if they want traditional blood and gore or if they want something ridiculous like candy spilling out of their dead enemies. The game is a roaring good time and the sheer ridiculousness of the game will keep you and your pals coming back for more fun. One of the best parts of the game is when your group of friends is getting chased down by a gang of headless kamikaze bombers that *somehow* scream AUGHHHH at you while they charge toward your face!

4. Spelunky

Spelunky is a one of a kind game. It’s one of those rare games that takes the idea of spelunking through randomly generated tombs and explores that concept to its full potential. Part rogue-like, part arcade game- this indie hit makes you feel like Indiana Jones if Indy was 100 times more likely to die when exploring old crypts. Spelunky offers 4 player local co-op and puts you and your friends into a series of extremely difficult tombs that you could easily die in after a few seconds of entering. With booby-traps, bombs, snakes, mummies, and more- you and your friends must carefully put one foot in front of the other to reach the exit of each stage and, if you die, that’s it- you have to start over. It’s a frustrating but rewarding experience and, even though I keep dying in this punishingly difficult game, I keep coming back for more because it’s too much fun. The advantage of playing with friends is that, compared to the single player experience, you have the opportunity to revive your friends in the next level and keep surviving. So while the game is harsh to its players, co-op offers some slack given that you could accidentally kill your friend if you set off a trap or throw a bomb and then bring that person back in the next level. Recommended for groups of friends that won’t break their friendships up over a video-game because, otherwise, you’re S.O.L.

3. Dungeon Defenders

Tower Defense games aren’t my cup of tea- but, there are a few exceptions to the rule such as Plants Vs. Zombies and DUNGEON DEFENDERS. For me, tower defense games usually fall short of being fun because I often don’t feel involved- there’s a sense of not being there when you manage resources and watch the action unfold as you say to yourself ‘man, I wish I was fighting that battle instead of spectating’. Dungeon Defenders ails this tower-defense ill because it allows you do things typical of tower-defense like manage resources and plant sentries while BEING INVOLVED in the action. The ability to fight alongside 4 other players in dungeon defenders while maintaining your defenses is great- so great that it deserves a number 3 spot on my list. 4 players can choose from a variety of different characters each with their own weapon class and defense resources- they then take to the battlefield where they have minutes to set up defenses to protect their sacred ‘eternia shards’ and then take on the approaching army of darkness (sorry, no boomsticks). The game is an excellent example of mixing individual thought and strategy with teamwork and muscle to take on countless goblin gangs. Every level is unique, the difficulty is very flexible so that anyone can learn to play, and the action is unparalleled for a co-op game.

2. Portal 2

Here’s the deal: if you haven’t played Portal 2 yet, be it single player or multiplayer, YOU NEED TO. Portal 2 is easily up on my list of favorite games of all time- and while its single-player campaign is superb, its co-op elevates it to a new level of greatness. Portal 2 is a wonderful puzzler that involves the use of a portal gun to solve all of its puzzles- each gun comes equipped with two portals that can be placed in the environment and link to eachother. This concept was explored expertly in the first portal game when players would solve puzzles based strongly on physics and switch-activation by using the two portals creatively. After the first, many gamers wondered where a second portal game could take us and, more importantly, HOW COULD IT OUTDO ITSELF? The answer is simply this: add two players and four portals and you have a co-op masterpiece. It would be pointless for me to try and detail the charm of solving physics-puzzles with a friend and that feeling of victory that subsequently washes over you when you can very well experience it for yourself. Portal 2 explores the true nature of co-op: Teamwork. Not only is Portal 2 a great puzzle solving exercise, it’s a great friendship building exercise as well.

1. Castle Crashers

Something was definitely lost when the world of gaming went from going to the arcade to staying in the house-hold. Arcade-Cabinet Games like ‘The Simpsons Arcade Game’ or ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Arcade Game’ brought on a sense of comradery when friends stood side-by side taking on enemies in these side-scrolling beat ’em ups. While the PC and home consoles have certainly led to a decrease in the amount of co-op arcade beat ’em ups being made, Castle Crashers breaks that mold and gives us that wholesome hack n’ slash experience once again. But developers ‘The Behemoth’ never bring back  beaten, dead-horses like retro arcade brawlers without putting their own fresh twist on them- and with Castle Crashers, they went all out. Where else can you grab 4 players and hack your way through a traditional medieval landscape with light-sabers and magic powers? Where else can you fight a giant “Cat-Fish” which is LITERALLY a hybrid cat/fish that shoots hairballs at you? Where else can you get a game that forces you to fight to the death over the love of a princess minutes after you all work together to save her? Nowhere else but Castle Crashers. This game is made for co-op and it offers a fun and deep experience for anybody who picks up a controller to play. Nothing says fun like hanging out with your buddies, grabbing a couple of beers, crashing castles, and saving royal babes all on a Saturday night.

REVIEW of Gunpoint / When Private Eyes Fly

The world of spies and detectives has always been a favorite of mine- whether it is the ridiculous nature and high Ocatane thrills brought on by James Bond or the chilling mysteries found in the shadow covered worlds of Noire, there’s always something exciting to be found. As for the steam game Gunpoint, a 2D game about a super-sleuth involved in corporate espionage, the excitement of the spy genre is kept alive through a series of levels where you break into buildings and steal precious data. While the game isn’t what I’d consider to be revolutionary, it is still tons of fun to play and I was drawn in enough to finish the campaign in one sitting (about 3 hours) give or take a couple of bathroom breaks. Gunpoint is available for PC, with Mac and Linux ports waiting to be announced, and is developed by Tom Francis of ‘Suspicious Developments’.

I really like the level layouts- it’s like peering into a dollhouse… FOR SPIES.

First thing’s first, let’s address the elephant in the room- the three hour campaign. A lot of gamers are turned off by shorter games, but at $9.99 USD- the quality and execution of the levels in the game make it worth your while. As much as I would love a longer game because of the amount of fun I was having, I felt like the game effectively told a story and had a natural progression of difficulty in 3 hours and didn’t have to drag on forever. This is sort of a relief because there are some games that have excellent gameplay mechanics, but drag on forever until you step away from the screen and say “You know what? This is getting old.” For Gunpoint, it just doesn’t ‘get old’: the levels are well made and the constant introduction of new and exciting gameplay elements kept me drawn in. Gunpoint also boasts a beautiful, yet simplistic, art-style. 16-bit graphics keep all of the character’s faces a mystery in the game, but the art-style also brings out beautiful, dark, and rainy cityscapes, giving the player that feeling of being in a world made for two-timing crooks. The dominant element of each level, though, is the large building or buildings that our protagonist, super-spy Richard Conway, must traverse through without getting picked off by the guards in order to retrieve valuable information or hack a computer. It’s a simple concept, but it’s expertly done.

I wish I could control circuits wirelessly- that way I wouldn’t have to get up from bed to turn the light switch off.

Aside from the aesthetics of the game, we have what makes this game pure joy to pick up- the awesome gameplay. Our hero, Richard Conway, controls smoothly and he has a lot of nifty game-changing gadgets at his disposal. Right off the bat, we get to play with one of the coolest things in the game: Richard’s bullfrog-brand pants that give him the ability to jump at great distances- these pants let Richard jump onto buildings and use his magnetic gloves to scale the walls with ease. The jumping mechanic allows the player to break and enter from rooftops or crash through glass windows and make one hell of an entrance for the guards seconds before they shoot you. This mechanic also allows you to pin a guard down and punch him out- this element of sleuthing was pretty fun and made the game that much more exciting. The second major gadget at the player’s disposal is the crosslink tool. The crosslink tool is the biggest puzzle element in the game and its use of the entire game environment justifies why the game is designed in a two-dimensional perspective. This tool allows the player to switch into a shadowy cross-link vision that reveals the bare bones of the electric wiring in any given building and allows that player to then rewire same-colored elements to eachother. To illustrate- let’s say the building has a blue light switch connected to a blue light- in the crosslink mode, I could take the light-switch connection and wire it to a blue colored door- then, when I go to flip the switch, the door opens. This puzzle element gives the player total freedom to play with wiring and it’s a ton of fun to see all of the possibilities of ‘crosslinking’. Later down the road, you are given the option to be not-so-sneaky when you are offered a gun and the ability to kick down doors- while these abilities are worth playing with, it can give you a lower rating when you complete a level as it can alert guards easier (especially the gun: when there’s a gunshot, you have 30ish seconds to clear out of the building or a sniper will appear).

Spies tend to be grammatically correct when they text- I wish my friends texted more eloquently…

While the game boasts no spoken dialogue or cinematic elements, the text messages that open up each mission display some great writing that sets up a nice story given that this game focuses its energies on good level design. The writing is hilarious and I like the option to choose what dialogue you will respond with- you can be a straight businessman or a snarky pain in the ass at any given time. And while story helps bring us to an ending all-too-soon, it does help create a sense of being in this world of danger and espionage and, honestly, without it- the game wouldn’t be as good. The game also has this nice sort of ‘choose your own profile story’ at the end of the game, too, which is a nice touch that I think most players will appreciate in terms of story. But, as the story does come to an end, there is hope for those who wish to stay in the world of Gunpoint for a little while longer because of the game’s specialized level editor that lets players create and play their own levels. While level creation tools aren’t my favorite thing in the world, this creation tool was a nice addition and, after playing with it for a few minutes, I found that it functions well for those who want to use it. My only issue with this offering is that it currently has no way of sharing created content with online friends. Steam Workshop has been integrated into many games and allows for players to share their created content- I think Gunpoint would benefit from having steam workshop integration in the future (maybe when that mac/linux update rolls around?) because, while I’m not fond of level creation, I love playing other people’s levels as it allows for a game to take on an extended life after the main campaign is completed.

DEFENESTRATION!

By now- I’m sure you get the impression that I really enjoy this game- and I do. Fans of indie games and puzzle games will more likely than not warm up to this title. Is it worth $9.99 USD? My answer to you is YES if you really want to experience this title right now- my other answer would be WAIT if you want to get a good deal on it in the summer or winter sale. Personally, I picked up the game for $4.99 USD when it went on sale last week and it was totally worth it. The game is wholly impressive for having been developed by one guy and the soundtrack (done by three different gentlemen) is nice and jazzy throughout. I’m all for you buying this game full price in order to support the developer- but if the opportunity does present it self, make sure to pick it up when it goes on sale.

MY STEAM RECOMMENDATION: BUY, BUY, BUY!

• expert level design
• freedom to tackle a stage however you want to
• Great experience for a good price
• Features a level editor…
• …but is lacking a way to share these levels
• Falls on the short side of things