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Games and Software, Indie Pennant, Movies/TV

Nintendo Quest Charts One Man’s Journey for NES Glory

December 4, 2015 Alex McCumbers

Jay Bartlett grew up like a lot of kids who lived in the late 80s and into the 90s. During that time, Nintendo became a household name in a matter of weeks, decimating sales across the country and establishing flagship characters as popular, or more so by now, than Disney’s cartoons. Ask most people of this age what their favorite Christmas memory or gaming memory is and they’ll probably mention playing the NES with someone.

After years of being a super fan, Jay is one day challenged by a dear friend, Rob McCallum, who is also the producer of the project, to the ultimate challenge. The goal is to collect all 678 retail released NES games in thirty days, a seemingly impossible task. With the wide spread use of the internet, it would be easy to throw money at Ebay and sites like 99Gamers, but no, Jay has to collect all of these games in person.

What’s more ridiculous is Jay has never seen physical copies of some of the games he has to find. There are twenty ultra-rare games set aside that pose the ultimate challenge, featuring the top one, Stadium Events, a game that can fetch thousands at auction in almost any condition.

Will Jay be able to make this long-time dream a reality? Well, the folks behind the documentary helped him travel the US and Canada, capturing every purchase and dive. What entails becomes not just a journey about collecting old video games, but also a personal journey of growth for Jay.

Thus begins the Nintendo Quest!

The film encapsulates what it means to be a Nintendo fan. Throughout their quest, Jay and his pals come across tons of people who make collecting a community. From shop owners, to YouTubers, to world record holders, to gaming box artists, there’s such a large pool of passionate people represented. In one scene, Jay gets to go on a game hunt with record holder Todd Rogers. It’s apparent that finding games is less important than hearing the stories behind them. While Todd picks out games he has records on, he shares his stories with the team.

Jay holding two of the rarest titles in the NES library.

While Jay does find tons of games with notable game stores, the true joy is getting the chance to meet other die-hard collectors. These are the titans of the Retro Gaming Community, the legends who have it all and more. Each game has its own story and each collector has theirs. These moments show the time and care collectors put into these often forgotten games, relics of changing times. Organization and presentation are key as shelves are kept tidy, while priceless games like Little Samson or Panic Restaurant are behind glass, often in rated boxes. These super rare titles, while seen few and far between, usually have interesting history and owning a piece of that is amazing.

It’s also important to note the graphics being used throughout the film. There’s a handy counter in the bottom left, keeping track of how many games Jay has acquired. Plus each transition pays homage to the NES, including some famous quotes that set the mood for each segment. The presentation is top notch and as much care went into the editing as it has in the journey.

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While Nintendo Quest has a focus on the challenge, the true heart of it lies in Jay: his story and his experience with the quest and gaming with the NES. Before the start of the quest, Rob takes Jay to their old tree house, where their love for the NES inspired a club. As they sit in that confined space, the memories flooding in looks powerful. Things get even more emotional half way through, as Jay mentions the relationship he had with his father, which was rocky to say the least.

Jay as he shares the story of his father.

Taking this journey changed Jay and the people he and the team met along the way. It’s humbling to see him struggle to find all the games, all while battling having a job, tough deals and high prices.

These games are more than entertainment, making the need to preserve and share these experiences a necessity. Just like how college students tote around heavy tomes of Shakespeare, those same students should also be carrying the games of Miyamoto and Kojima. Gaming is a medium worth caring about.

Personally, I’ve been collecting ever since I was a kid. My obsession started early, with my earliest memories involving playing Wizards and Warriors with my mom and Super Mario Bros 3 with my cousin. Sharing secrets with friends and swapping games filled my summers with joy. Even to this day, I schedule game chases with my wife and friends, hitting up yard sales and Goodwills. I’ve met so many awesome people through the years, many of which have become life long friends, all because of our love for games. It has helped develop my mind and pushed me to pursue a career in the industry.

Nintendo Quest is an awesome presentation of what makes gaming special. Jay and his friends had a journey that can’t be explained in words. To them it was more than collecting every NES game—although I’m sure that was fun too—it was about getting together with people who share a common interest and being a part of that community.

I can’t recommend Nintendo Quest enough. Congratulations to Jay, Rob, the production team and all the folks involved. This is a film that will be quintessential for gamers everywhere.

Nintendo Quest can be found on Vimeo, other major digital platforms and DVD.

Games and Software

Fallout 4: Settle or Wander?

November 30, 2015 Alex McCumbers

Oh, I’m the type the guy who’ll never settle down. I’m never in one place. I roam from town to town.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3IlHBBGCIw

Every time this commercial comes on, I find myself whistling the song from that point on. This advertisement has become iconic with the game, for good reason. It sets the mood with it’s older sense of style, contrasted with the bleakness of the Commonwealth.

What’s interesting though is that Fallout 4, more than any other entry in the series, gives an equal option to settle as well as wander.

Sure, every denizen of the Wasteland must scavenge to survive, picking up cans for their all too precious aluminum or lighters for the oil. However, the addition of the rather deep building mechanics gives players the option to make a home out of nothing. Whole towns can be constructed in many locations, complete with the ability to make truly unique light shows and defenses to keep invaders at bay.

With enough spit and grit, even the most run down areas can be called home.

Not only that, but the mobile game Fallout Shelter actually gives players a hint at the community building gameplay featured in Fallout 4, complete with similar assets. Settlers can move into a claimed area, needing resources to survive and weapons to defend themselves. It’s intriguing to see groups of people create a meager existence and manning their posts. Nothing gets me motivated like one of my settlements coming under attack. Sure, few of them have names or stories, but these are people who have trusted me as their leader, and I can’t let them down. The only complaint of this system is that it can be rough to manage several settlements at once.

Many of the players I know have spent many of their hours simply perfecting their home base. As soon as the mechanics are understood, it becomes an addiction similar to that found in Minecraft or Rust. Some players have even exploited the system to create stunning works, including a recent building of a Rubik’s Cube replica. Practical? Not really. Style? Absolutely. Super Mutants can surely see it from miles away.

For added style, this thing actually works! Image originally posted on VG247.com

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Making a home is a central theme to Fallout 4‘s design; its all about being taken out of one’s comfort zone. Everything these characters have known has been blasted by the nuclear weapons and further stripped away by the dangers of living in the Commonwealth. Any way to keep one’s mind off of the Deathclaws and Raiders is a powerful thing. Preston (one of the many companions), after getting close to the player, will reveal that finding such good company changes his outlook on his entire existence. It’s a truly humbling conversation that is comparable to many other characters and stories. Its easy to get attached to them.

It’s these moments of peace and revelation that makes Fallout 4 so powerful.

I’ve spent whole evenings just discussing the layers of meaning after being blown away by a quest or dialogue. Fallout as a series has always made players think well after the controller has been put down or the program is shut down. The latest installment does this in almost every moment, especially when confronted with the ideals of the Institute or the Brotherhood of Steel.

There’s so much more to Fallout 4 than I can relay with a single article. Imagining the things yet to be discovered and the extra content surely to come is mind blowing. And the mods! Surely, the homes players carve out of the dust will continue to become more elaborate when new pieces are inevitably added by Bethesda or the modding community.

I will be in the depths of this city for quite some time.

Whether one’s settling down or wandering around, the wasteland is a challenging place, filled with possibilities. Fallout 4 is truly what you make of it, and it’s tools for doing just that are awesome.

Look forward to more Fallout content in the future, as its sure to be fired up on our consoles and PCs for quite some time.

Game File, Games and Software

Halo 5: Fun with Friends, but Lacks Cohesive Narrative

November 25, 2015 Alex McCumbers

The Halo Universe has never been known for a groundbreaking story. Novels and other projects have sought to expand it, but the series never really seemed to excel at narrative. Halo defined a console and added a new level of interaction among gamers across the world. Sure, online play existed before Halo, but Xbox Live owes much of its success to it. Therefore, there is a ton of pressure on 343 Industries, as it attempts to add to the legacy Bungie left behind. Unfortunately, Halo 5: Guardians comes close with it’s multiplayer, but lacks depth in its story.

Before diving into this game in detail, know that I’ve always been a fan of Halo‘s Universe. I lacked an Xbox as a kid, keeping a tight grip on my PS2 with Kingdom Hearts and Radiata Stories, but I was always interested in the story of Halo. Thus, I picked up the novelizations of the games at Borders. While these books never blew me out of the water, they were substantial enough to make me want to read the others. Master Chief always felt more fleshed out in the books, making my eventual move to the Halo games feel lackluster by comparison.

Minor characters are expanded upon in the novels. Making them feel stale in the games for fans of the books.

I will admit that I had high hopes for the story in Halo 5. The marketing campaigns played up the mysterious Locke, chasing down the Master Chief for disobeying orders and going rogue. Chief wandered the deserts in those commercials, a tattered cloak in his wake, a classic trope with characters trying to find themselves in solitude. All clues pointed to a dynamic, daring story framed with all the pew pew a mind can handle.

Whoever edited the marketing deserves a damn medal. While the one directing what was shipped needs a firm reprimanding.

halo screen 2 — There is a truly epic moment here, but what that is exactly is unclear.

Halo 5‘s story feels like a large puzzle. All the pieces are there, that much is evident, but someone has gone and tossed the puzzle about, leaving nothing but a fragmented image. I’m normally easy to appease when it comes to stories; I usually only give harsh words after much reflection. However, I couldn’t keep track of where my characters were supposed to be. What should’ve felt like a chase across the galaxy, is a highlight reel cut by an amateur at a high school sporting event.

I will give credit where credit is due: the action during the cutscenes is phenomenal. The camera dynamically follows the characters as they proceed to pull off supernatural feats. Yet, it would be more gratifying if there was more context to the story.

Master Chief’s team does comprise of characters I grew to love from the novels. There are plenty of solid character development in the books, but they are merely a quick nod to long time fans in the current game. These characters are mostly there to explain why there’s four player co-op in the main campaign.

It’s obvious Halo 5 had a better story planned out, but what is delivered lacks direction, coherence or passion for the universe it’s built on.

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Is there a logical reason for this abundance of lens flares? Star Trek Into Darkness had a disease of sorts when it comes to the technique.

Also, it’s hard to see what’s going on with all the lens flares. JJ Abrams has left a negative impact on the visual directing for many, painful years to come.

On the other side of the game, Halo 5 supports a solid multiplayer experience. Slapping ten-year-old kids with a flag or chucking grenades at my dearest friends has never been my draw to Halo, but I do have fond memories with such. I’m sure I’m not the only one who gathered as many people with Xbox 360s as possible to spend countless hours throwing back Mt. Dew, cheering with each kill.

Playing Halo 5‘s multiplayer feels nostalgic, but also fresh. Being able to zoom in with each weapon is an awesome addition, especially since each weapon has unique sights. Player movement has new tricks such as the Spartan Charge or being able to hover in the air for a short time. Slaying enemies is still as rewarding as the early days of dominating with the magnum.

Some punk took the Banshee? Spawn with one with REQs!

The newest mode, Warzone is interesting, as its Halo‘s take on the MOBA craze. It lacks the strategic depth of that genre, but it can lead to some interesting situations. Players fight over several bases to earn points, while also combating each other, Covenant and Promethean invaders. Being able to snatch away points from an aggressive team from afar by doing the final hit on a boss is hilarious and aids one’s team.

Warzone also offers Requisition items, which are essentially like FIFA‘s addictive Ultimate Team mode. Unlike FIFA, players will be opening packs of weapons, armor skins, vehicles and more to use in Warzone. Collecting items is fun, but the fact that the cards are used after a single use makes them feel less like a tactical loadout and more like having your latest toy ignored by everyone else who has the limited edition cause they bought more packs.

While Halo 5: Guardians lacks the narrative it was built up to be, the multiplayer remains a solid choice for an evening with friends. Kicking back with a snack and a headset on my brow feels like it should and that’s not a bad thing.

343 Industries has recently released a large patch, adding new modes, so there is hope beyond the game’s initial launch. I’d love to see them retcon the campaign mode, even though its hard to patch a flooding submarine with duct tape, no matter how valuable the adhesive is in the Wasteland.

Pick up Halo 5 for the multiplayer, play the campaign when there are no friends online and nothing is on TV.

Game File, Games and Software, Indie Pennant, Industry Now

Levl Up Bros Seeks to Make a Home for Early Access Titles

November 23, 2015 Alex McCumbers

Early Access titles seem to be what all the cool kids are doing in the game designing world for better, but more often for worse. From the excellent uses of the system found in Starbound to the terrible lack of attention that destroyed The Stomping Land, Early Access as a term comes with a bit of mixed perception. As a whole, I’m a big advocate of Early Access games, but when the system is abused or the games that lack any sort of coherency get onto the Steam Marketplace, it’s more than frustrating as a gamer and as a writer. It’s hard to find games on the Steam Marketplace as is, so throwing in tons of Early Access titles with questionable quality just makes things asinine.

That’s where Levl Up Bros, a monthly subscription-based platform for Early Access titles, seeks to stand out with its service. Players will be able to play an unlimited amount of games and be given the option to pre-order games when they are eventually published. There are some interesting indie games and rom hacks to check out, but more games should start showing up as the platform develops. So how does Levl Up Bros seek to enhance the gaming experience for both developers and gamers?

Even seasoned designers often find publication disconcerting. The percentage a development team should make is usually slashed down by larger publishing companies, limiting profits, but adding marketing solutions. Levl Up Bros seeks to give developers a broader range of publishing options, as well as a system that allows popular content to be shown prominently.

The entire platform focuses on levels in the traditional, RPG sense. Players will be able to gain levels from completing quests, which can be as simple as leaving a comment on a game’s page or pre-ordering a title. This way, feedback is encouraged. The levl up system also wants to reward its players by giving them free memberships, as well as full-game downloads as they level up their account.

Games will also have levels, gaining experience points based on comments, time played and much more. This way, the best gaming experiences is featured by the system. The Levl Up Bros will not only give attention to these games on their client, but also on their various blogs and outlets, such as their Twitch or YouTube channels.

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Many games and studios have already agreed to be featured in the early era of the Levl Up Bros client. Disciples of the Storm, an ambitious attempt to recreate a classic PC game—a game we’ve featured before here on Giga—is on that list. Other than that, the other titles are unfamiliar, but that’s exactly what this client needs: unknown titles utilizing the system to further their goals.

If Levl Up Bros succeeds in its Kickstarter campaign, a test client should be available in the Spring of 2016, with more features slated to roll out by the Summer. Users can take a look at the Levl Up Bros website for an idea of the sort of aesthetic the creators are going for.

Unfortunately, as of now, there is no prototype available for use. All of the designs proposed in the campaign, as well as the visuals behind the assets used gives a really solid first impression; however, there is no way of knowing how the platform will fair until its available for testing, at the very least. There’s also a lack of editing apparent on the campaign and its website, hopefully it will be rectified in the future.

Either way, it would be interesting to see a new outlet for Early Access. Some games would truly benefit from this system. Until Levl Up Bros rolls out for testing, I’ll continue picking through the mountains of Early Access titles on Steam, searching for gems.

Game File, Games and Software, Indie Pennant

Indie Alert: Pulse Review

November 20, 2015 RaShaun Eshalomi

I didn’t know what to expect when I first read the unique concept of Pulse:

Journey as Eva, a young girl who [h]as lost her sight at an early age, and has since developed the unique capability to see the world around her through sound.

This first-person adventure allows players see what Eva “sees”: a semi-transparent world full of vibrant colors and polygon shapes. The transparency mixed with the shapes reminds me of an abstract C4D (Cinema 4D) effect. Sound obviously plays a very important role in Pulse. Rain drops, walking, wind, birds fluttering, and running water can all help get a glimpse of the dark world surrounding you. Jumping in place also helps if you don’t have room to walk.

There are these little, white animals called Moko that you can throw, which creates a sound when they land. Mokos are also used to get through obstacles throughout the game. Sometimes you have to throw them into little barrels they have to run in or sacrifice them to open the next level. They follow you around, waiting for you to need them—so cute, with their cute little faces. At first, I didn’t want to throw them and lose them. Throw them. Throw them everywhere. It really helps.

white little animal with big black eyes — Each Moko has its own facial expression: angry, questioning, happy, scared.

Pixel Pi does a great job of making players feel like they are blind too, which makes the game tough to play. With no map, the transparent world is deceiving and makes traveling a confusing trek. What you think is a clear path to a far away cliff in the back, is actually a wall that doesn’t fully appear until you’re against it. I got lost, a lot. Eva does leave glowing footprints for you to trace your steps, which was a little helpful. Whenever the world shakes or turns red, you’ll know you’re going the right way. I still had to stop and take breaks to make sure I didn’t become completely discouraged. Also, stay out of the water and try not to stumble into the unknown.

A blank background with the words "You have lost your way in the unknown" across the screen. — I saw this screen a lot.

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The story is vague—on purpose—for most of the game. Eva is on a pilgrimage her in which village didn’t want her to go, and the world and her village are in danger of collapsing. An obscure bird appears throughout your journey to give you cryptic messages about the events leading up to now. These hints help you to piece together what has/is happening to the world. I wasn’t really attached to the story; it felt like something was missing. Maybe a cutscene or something to show a little more background leading up to the beginning of Eva’s pilgrimage. A little something extra to make me care more. The scene could have still been through Eva’s eyes—or maybe jumbled pieces that the bird could remember—allowing players to have a better connection with her perseverance through the obstacles ahead of her. I was more interested in the obstacles Eva had to face and discovering more of this unique world.

The game is short, about an hour, possibly longer if you take the time to get all of the achievements. It can be completed in 30 minutes if you speedrun. There’s even an achievement for completing it in 30 minutes or less.

I wanted to love this game. I really wanted to and I really tried. The concept is great and the world has a lot of secrets I would like to discover, but I don’t think I’ll be playing Pulse again. The world is beautiful, but the thought of having to go through the trouble of seeing it just deters me. However, I would recommend trying it for the different experience. It’s not like any other game I’ve ever played, and I don’t regret playing.

I definitely want to see more from Pixel Pi. They are a talented group with a lot of creativity and imagination. There is definitely more worlds and stories they are holding onto. I hope this is only the beginning for them.