Ian's Ideas

on

Games..............

Well I was away from my Mac this weekend, so I attacked my consoles with a vengeance. I dusted off my PSX and my Nintendo 64 and got down to some serious gaming.

I played:

Metal Gear Solid (PSX)

Resident Evil 2 (PSX)

Zelda : Ocarina of Time (Nintendo 64).

I have to say that Metal Gear Solid lives up to its name, in the challenge stakes it is SOLID. This game is so hard that my joypad was in jeopardy of being thrown across the room (with the PSX still attached). Now call me a Spanner but what ever happend to games with learning curves. I mean, the First Level still has the credits appearing (i.e. the Coders thought this level was so easy they could stick the credits up while you are playing). Well this so called easy level took me 6 attempts. It really does start to get annoying, especially with all the cheesy dialog, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!

But I tell you where MGS is as good as sex (with all the Spice Girls all at once) is in the monster intelligence. These monsters are really cool. They follow your foot prints, they hear you if you make a noise, they detect movement in their field of vision brilliantly. I can tell you, when you outwitted the guards you felt really good...

This is where I think monster intelligence has to go. Games are getting so complex that standard monster intelligence ideas like 'patterns' and simple tracking/following formulae just don't cut it. Each monster has to have objectives and have a collection of rules that allow it to complete those objectives (or be destroyed of course). In Zex we have used this idea of objectives, so that the monsters don't follow 'patterns'. It may have worked in Space Invaders (1980) but you wouldn't expect it now. The Monsters in Zex are free moving, which in my honest opinion makes for really cool 'dog-fighting', and when you are out numbered 10 to 1, it tests how good you really are.

But back on to MSG. What will make this game is its attention to detail. The breath coming from the character, rats scurrying across the floor. Its really smart to crawl through air ducts between rooms. The story line is a bit vague and as I have said the dialog is cheesy but I think this game will be really popular. But if you like stealth games I'd stick to Tenchu , its a lot easier (although its not easy) and if you put the cheat on for the skimpy costume for the female character its great viewing as well.

Although its a bit dated now I still love Resident Evil 2. Now this game has got atmosphere. I was actually thinking about how they build up the tension (in between blowing zombies apart with the shotgun), and its really rather simple. They use two major factors Sound Track and the 'Make you wait for it' ploy, let me explain.

If you have ever played it you'll know about travelling down a claustrophobic corridor with about 4 or 5 right angled turns in it which you can't see around, at every turn you are expecting zombies to jump out at you. Each time you go around a corner your heart beat gets that little bit quicker, you draw your gun and aim down the corridor waiting for the sound of those shuffling footsteps, but it doesn't come. So you reach the end of the corridor, the frayed edges of your nerves are already showing, then what do you get - A DOOR!

But opening the door isn't instantaneous. It does the cut sequence of a door opening, making the tension build and it seems like an age to open, you are already pressing the AIM button, your knuckles white with the tension.

But thats not all, whilst all this is going on you have in the background the chilling 'Hammer House of Horror-esque' music, with its evil discordant tune, sinking into your soul making you wet your pants.

But of course if the game doesn't bother you, it could be because of the following:

1: You are Dr Von Helsing.

2: You just don't get into games (you sad individual)

3: You don't want to admit your scared to your mates.

4: You are dead

5: You don't own Resident Evil 2.

Play this game in the dead of night, in a pitch black room with total silence in the house (apart from the game (Do it on surround sound if possible)), if there is someone else in the room don't let them speak, and if this game doesn't scare you, well your a hopeless case.

And last but not least: Zelda.

I have to say that this is the Best Game Ever.

I just can't fault the game play, well that's not quite true. Your fairy called Navi (which acts like a targetting computer) is pants, it sometimes targets far too late, you can see a monster coming, but can Navi? Nope!

But this is nothing, Zelda has so much game play it's untrue.

What I detest with some of these 3-D platformers is that they are so level based. You get to the end of one level and you start the next. Zelda has interaction and puzzles to improve Link (your character) in between the levels.

This game responds great, looks great and unlike many 3-D platformers is quick paced.

What I mean is this:

In games likes Tomb Raider all the jumps are so precise and 'calculated' that the game becomes very slow and boring. Now I have played the game (and I hate it to be honest), but I have watched an expert (and she is very good) and still the game is slow and calculated. It doesn't really flow.

Zelda has a nice learning curve and loads of different puzzles for different types of challenge. Horse Racing (it took me a whole night to win the race), Archery, Dungeons Full of Traps, Monsters, Hunting Ghosts, Fishing (honest, its a laugh), Music Puzzles, Diving and Swimming and all this has nothing to do with the main plot of gaining special items and saving Sages in the dungeons.

The final fight (which is in two sections) takes about 40 minutes and is absolutely superb. I am not going to spoil it, but it is the best use of a 3D world I have seen.

If you have a Nintendo, buy Zelda. If you haven't buy a Nintendo and get it.

Now we have moved into the world of games, it is important to keep well up on games and although the games I was playing will not challenge us on the Mac platform it will soon be necessary to try out Mac games (honest Stu, its research!) and see what we are up against.

So, because I can't look at every game, if anyone has just played a Mac game and was well impressed, then write down a review and send it to me (at ian@lightsoft.co.uk) and I'll post it up.

Well, it's time to get back to Zex

Thanks for reading

Ian Dennis

Make a comment about this article

Lightsoft Software