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[img width=465 height=646]http://www.file-extensions.org/imgs/app-picture/3952/star-fox-assault.jpg[/img]
Star Fox has caught a lot of flak from gamers over the recent years, for very little good reason, besides the derivative Star Fox Adventures, also on the Gamecube, which was negatively received. But Assault is different; it has the same rail-based 3D shooting that the series is famous for, along with several other modes. So, why did nobody give Assault a chance? Why is it never included in people's lists of best 1st-party Gamecube games? To be honest, I'm not sure. Keep reading to find out why Star Fox Assault is worth your time.
Gameplay
Star Fox Assault starts out with an intense rail-shooter space battle, much like the previous games in the series, and certainly shows that it is out to prove that the franchise is still alive and kicking in what it does best. The control is smooth and responsive, and all the standard attacks [Shot, Charge Shot, Bomb], so anyone who has played a Rail Shooter before will know what to do. The only issue I had with the controls while piloting were that the Y-Axis control was inverted, and not the X-Axis, but you can change that in the options menu. The piloting sections are cool, and if any of you Gamecube owners out there were ever jealous that Panzer Dragoon Orta was an Xbox exclusive, then these stages will ease your pain. There are also missions that take place on-foot, that allow you to use multiple weapons or a tank to shoot your way through enemies. These levels are very fast-paced and have a fair bit of diversity among equipping weapons; Pistols, Rocket launchers, Sniper Rifles, Grenades, etc. You wouldn't expect to find more than one or two extra weapons in a game like this, and to be honest, you don't really need them, unless required by mission parameters, but they are a ton of fun to use. As I said, you can also drive a tank, if you like. The tank cannot use the extra weapons, but has better defense, can hover for a brief period, and can kill weaker enemies by running over them. These missions reminded me a lot of Capcom's PN-03, another Gamecube exclusive, which is a very good thing. The third type of mission is an aerial dogfight mission, which is like the pilot missions, but gives you total freedom of movement. This mode is nice, too, and is on par with many other aerial combat games, but doesn't bring anything really new to the table; it just does the essentials notably well. There are also a couple of different sub-missions that occasionally take place after a main one, and sometimes ground and dogfight missions are combined, having you hop in and out of your Arwing to manage enemies in the air and ground. The worst part about the game, though, is its length. There are only 10 missions, so you can finish it in a day, which is a real shame, because this game has a lot of great ideas, and the gameplay is just fun in its purest form, but you only get a few short hours of it. I would have loved to see at least another 10 levels; more if possible, but I guess beggars can't be choosers.
Gameplay: 8/10
[img width=700 height=466]http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/images/2005/033/reviews/561297_20050203_screen004.jpg[/img]
Story
I was seriously surprised by Star Fox Assault's story; it was much deeper than I expected from an action game. I have never gotten very far in a Star Fox game before, but I always assumed it had little story, and didn't really need one, but this game's story totally came out of left field. I'm not saying it's anywhere near what you might find in an RPG or an Adventure game, but it stands heads and shoulders above other action and shooter games, making it feel more like an action movie. Now, don't get me wrong; I don't want to make this out to be any more than it is, but I still think Nintendo should be commended for writing up something quite different. I had some issues with awkward dialogue in the game; mostly from the fact that it was written with kids as the primary audience, so it is jarring [and kind of funny] to hear frequent profanity substitute words. It just feels really out of place. Other than that, I think Star Fox Assault has a relatively good story when compared to the rest of the genre, but once again, it is crippled by the disappointingly short length of the game.
Story: 8.5/10
[img width=480 height=360]http://i.ytimg.com/vi/lGJPDMvOMZw/hqdefault.jpg[/img]
Sound
What do you know? I was surprised yet again by Star Fox Assault. Since this is a science fiction game, I expected a soundtrack heavy with rock and techno tunes, but all the music in the game is actually orchestral! It sounds very good, too; I can tell that a fair bit of work was put into the music. I thought the orchestra music would sound out of place in a game like this, but with all the huge battles going on in each mission, it fits like a glove. The sound effects, on the other hand, sound pretty generic and basic, but in retrospect, it's probably better that they didn't interfere with the background music. The voice actors for the characters seem different than the ones I remember in Star Fox 64, but then again, I remember them being much more annoying in that game. All the actors are well-suited for the characters they represent, so no complaints there. Overall, I seriously enjoyed Star Fox Assault's soundtrack; maybe not enough so that I would put it on my MP3 player, but enough to make me come back to the game.
Sound: 8/10
Graphics
The graphics in Star Fox Assault are all right when doing ground missions, and are great when doing pilot missions. All the chaos going on in the background of the latter mission type really gives you the sense of an epic battle in space. That, and the detail on each ship looks nice, making it all the more shocking to see all of this happening at a quick, steady framerate, especially on missions where two both aerial dogfights and ground combat are going on at once. Thus, it isn't the game's graphical detail that is impressive; it is the amount of action going on at any given time that makes you wonder how it is possible. It just all comes together to a game that has much more technical than visual prowess. The graphics are still above average, though, especially during cutscenes, where everything is bumped up to a much higher level of detail. I would still say that the in-game graphics are a step down from its predecessor, Star Fox Adventures, but it is likely just to allow for faster action and a better framerate; because of this, I think it is a fair trade-off.
Graphics: 7/10
[img width=600 height=420]http://www.gametour.com/screenshots/gcn/sta828img2.jpg[/img]
Extras/Value
In order to offset the disappointing length, a 4-player battle mode was included that, honestly, is one of the best multiplayer experiences I have had the chance to play on the 'Cube. The mode is fun and addictive, and move along at a speedy pace, like the rest of the game. Unfortunately, there is no option for CPU-based multiplayer, so you're going to actually need some friends with you to play. But, it isn't that big of a deal; it is worth getting everyone over for some good shooting action. Just like the main game, Dogfight mode, Ground mode, and a mode that combines the two are available for multiplayer, which can lead to some really interesting and clever strategies that add a lot of depth to the game. I'm going to go so far as to say it may be worth it to buy this game just for the multiplayer, as it is just that much fun. I haven't had such a good time with a local 4-player game since Super Smash Bros. Melee. A lot of people don't know this, but it was actually Namco that did most of the development work on Star Fox Assault; Nintendo only did a bit of the development work, and all the publishing work. Thus, completing the game on Normal mode unlocks Namco's classic SHMUP, Xevious, for you to play. It's just a nice little extra cherry on top that isn't necessary, but is appreciated nonetheless. Star Fox Assault is currently selling for $15 at Gamestop. Despite how much fun this game is, I'm still going to have to recommend that you try and find it cheaper; maybe around $10 or so, due to the game's length. I have seen many copies sell for about $5, so you should have no trouble finding one. But when you do see the game, by all means, buy it, especially if you are planning a game night with some of your friends, and need to stock up on good 4-player games.
Extras/Value: 7.5/10
[img width=640 height=480]http://images.fragland.net/screenshots/2273/26.jpg[/img]
Overall
Star Fox Assault, at its core, is a great game with a ton of neat and creative ideas, but all of that is cut short by its terribly brief length. The multiplayer mode offsets this, but there is no excuse for a short single-player mode. If Namco and Nintendo had put a bit more time into this game to add at least 10 more levels, this would be less of a problem, but as it stands, this game was too much crammed into too little of time. It is still an extremely fun game, and is definitely worth a purchase, but unless you frequently play games with your friends, you will just beat the game and move on, which is just a tragedy for such an otherwise good game. But, as I said, I am pretty sure you will still love Star Fox Assault, with its fast, furious, and exciting gameplay, so give the game a shot when you happen to see it for sale.
Overall: 7.5/10
This is Lisalover1, repeatedly shooting the obvious glowing weak spot.
[img width=320 height=449]http://www.gametab.com/images/ss/gcn/1010/box-l.jpg[/img]
It has recently come to my attention that many of you, despite owning a Gamecube or Wii, and being fans of the Zelda series, have still not played The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. If I may ask, what the hell have you been doing with your life?! This discrepancy in the gaming community is shocking, and I will not stand for it. So, let's fix that. I am going to show you today that this is not the black sheep of the main Zelda franchise, and why you need to play this game. Aside from Majora's Mask, The Wind Waker is likely the most controversial title in the series, which is likely the reason people stray away from it. But, I'm not only going to tell you that this is a legitamite title in the series, but how it may be one of it's best.
Gameplay
The Wind Waker plays similarly to its Nintendo 64 predecessors, The Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, which is a very good thing. You can still assign weapons to 3 different controller buttons [X, Z, and Y, in this case], and the controls remain similar, except for a few improvements. There is now a much easier-to-control difference between tiptoeing, walking, and running, because of the Gamecube's more accurate analog stick. There have been some rather nice changes to combat, as well. Link can now perform actions such as parry attacks, which let him dodge an enemy's attack, and strike back. For some enemies, this is a necessary tactic to defeat them, but for the most part, hacking and slashing will do just fine. So, yes, the combat remains mostly unchanged from the standard Zelda formula. But that's not what I want to talk about. The thing that really sets Wind Waker apart from the crowd; sailing. As you probably know, the game allows you to sail around a huge world map to 49 different islands. I always thought that this was the game's strongest point. Zelda games have always tried to give the player a vast world to explore, and this is the epitome of that idea. You could spend hours traversing the Great Sea, searching in every nook and cranny. I spent a good few days just completing the map! While some may find it boring, I think it gives you a real sense of adventure that is uncommon to find in most games. I should probably move on before I start to ramble about this, though. You will find equipment similar to what you have used in previous games, so it should feel familiar. One of the bigger additions to the game is the Wind Waker itself; a baton that you use to control the direction of the wind to sail more effectively, or solve puzzles. The method of doing so is similar to Ocarina of Time, where you must memorize musical patterns, and play them back. Nothing new there, but it is still just as good.
Gameplay: 9.5/10
[img width=596 height=477]http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/zeldawindgc_111502_35_640w.jpg[/img]
Story
Little has changed about the central plot of Wind Waker in comparison to the other games in the Legend of Zelda series. You still play as a young, nameless boy [although most people just prefer to call him Link] who wears a green tunic, and must kill the evil Ganondorf/Ganon and save Princess Zelda. Now that that's out of the way, let's look at what is unique to The Wind Waker. Link is a boy living on Outset Island with his sister and grandmother. But one day, a giant bird flies over the island, carrying the captain of a pirate ship. Link goes off to rescue her, which eventually leads to the bird capturing Link's sister. The pirate crew allows Link aboard so he can rescue his sister in the bird's lair. That's about as much as I can say without giving any spoilers, but as you progress, it eventually leads to Link having to save the entire world from Ganon's plans. Standard fare for the series; it's what we have come to expect from a quality Zelda title. It doesn't have the deep, emotional narratives of an RPG, but it is what it is, and it is still a great one.
Story: 8/10
[img width=480 height=360]http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hpcQwqgxE24/0.jpg[/img]
Sound
I'll cut right to the chase; The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker has arguably the best soundtrack of any Zelda game. That's a controversial statement, I know, but I can back it up. Since the Gamecube was Nintendo's first disc-based console, they were free to use that extra space to make disc-quality audio. This makes for a truly sublime soundtrack that captures the moment of every single situation in the game. Sometimes, I just leave the game sit at the title screen so I can hear the main theme! Now, don't get me wrong; there have been some breathtaking soundtracks in the Zelda series, but it is my opinion that The Wind Waker takes the cake. There are just so many songs that give an adventurous, bold, yet fun feeling, which is the embodiment of the Zelda series as a whole. Never have the songs in a Zelda game felt more powerful and suitable. You have to hear it to believe it, and when you do, my arguement will start to make sense. The music in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is on an entirely different level than most games. It's just not something you find everyday, and you appreciate it when you do.
Sound: 10/10
Graphics
One of the most controversial aspects of The Wind Waker was its drastically different art style. The Zelda games on the Nintendo 64 seemed to strive as much as they could for realism, but The Wind Waker adapts a more cartoon-like style. This decision has divided the Zelda fan base since the game's unveiling. I'm here to tell you that the only people who don't like The Wind Waker's graphics are people who haven't played the game. It is obvious that Nintendo put a lot of time and effort into creating some of the most artistically pleasing graphics on the system. The Wind Waker's visuals are clean, well-defined, and polished to no end. The draw distance while sailing is phenomenal; the Great Sea really seems to on forever, and you can see islands from several miles away, not counting what you can see with the telescope. It's incredible to actually be able to see your destination well before you're near it. In this way, the art style was a good decision not just in appearance, but was actually some elegant programming and system resource management. There aren't many complicated textures in many of the graphics, especially in the ocean, so the draw distance and framerate would benefit greatly. Well done, Nintendo. Oh, and the game runs in 480p if you're lucky enough to have a component cable, and it's a fairly big improvement, especially in 2D sections like the menus, where it is a night and day difference. If you got a component cable just for this game, it would already be worth it. So, The Wind Waker's graphics are both an artistic and technical triumph.
Graphics: 10/10
[img width=425 height=321]http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/4127/282809-zelda_wind_screenshots_024_super.jpg[/img]
Extras/Value
There are plenty of side quests in The Wind Waker, so you'll always have something to work towards. After completing the game once, you unlock the second playthrough mode, which gives you special bonuses such as Link wearing his pajamas throughout the whole game, letting you use the Color Pictobox [Camera] from the start, and translating all Hylian text into English. There is also a figurine-collecting quest that requires you to obtain photographs of different things in the game to have them made into figurines. In case you were wondering, yes, it is very difficult to collect all of them. Also, there is the Zelda tradition of the item trading game. The Wind Waker is currently being sold for $20 at Gamestop, but it doesn't matter what the price is. Buy it. You will not regret it; I assure you.
Extras: 9/10
[img width=326 height=618]http://img.listal.com/image/1268630/600full-the-legend-of-zelda%3A-the-wind-waker-screenshot.jpg[/img]
Overall
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is one of the definitive titles for the Nintendo Gamecube, and it certainly deserves that accolade. The game is a masterpiece, with polish and craftsmanship apparent in every single one of its aspects. I have completed it three times already, and I loved every minute of it. The game is completely undeserving of all the hate it has received. If you have yet to play The Wind Waker, now is the time. Stop ignoring the game because of its art style, or whatever preconceptions you may have, get yourself down to a game store, buy the game, and play it. It's about time you did.
Overall: 9.5/10
This is Lisalover1, trying to pretend the CD-i Zelda games don't exist.
The launch of a new console is always an exciting event; a whole new era of promise and opportunity awaits for each new competitor in the console wars, with countless titles and accessory hardware announced. It's often easy for some things to get caught up and lost in this chaos. Unfortunately, sometimes this does happen. Certain titles that catch the eye of gamers never see the light of day, and fade into obscurity. For some, it is best that they stay lost, because they never showed much potential in the first place, but for some games, it is a real shame they are never released. These are the games that would have likely been very good additions to the system's library, and that should really be remembered. These are the best cancelled Gamecube games.
Thunder Rally
[img width=432 height=324]http://www.unseen64.net/wp-content/gallery/thunder-rally-car-battle/thunder.jpg[/img]
What Was It?:
Thunder Rally is a car combat game created by Iguana Entertainment [Later bought by Nintendo and renamed Retro Studios], and was one of the earliest planned titles for the Gamecube, all the way back in 1998, when the system was barely a prototype, and was codenamed "Dolphin". On a side note, this game was the initial reason Retro Studios was formed. The gameplay in Thunder Rally consists of a mash-up between Twisted Metal and Battlebots, in which the player can build a car, and drive it through a city, destroying other cars. Sounds simple right? Well, that's correct, but it's not the main draw of the game. TR was designed to include 4-player split screen mode, and have 4-player online play as well, making it possibly the first Gamecube game planned to have online multiplayer! The game also features very sharp graphics, from what is shown in early screenshots.
Why Was It Cancelled?:
Shortly after Retro Studios was established, and began working on games for the Gamecube, Nintendo ordered a massive reorganization of the company, which changed most of the company's staff, resources, and projects. Unfortunately, Thunder Rally, along with about 3 other titles, and Metroid Prime being the only one of these that was ever released. I would have loved to have played this game; as I have said in previous articles, the Gamecube was hurting for online games throughout its entire lifespan, and anything would have helped.
Kirby Adventure
What Was It?:
Kirby fans had to wait until 2005 for Nintendo to finally announce a Kirby platformer for the Gamecube. At E3 of that year, a trailer for "Kirby Adventure" was shown, and it seemed to be everything people expected from the series, but the exception being it taking advantage of the Gamecube's 4 controller ports. Kirby Adventure was supposed to allow 4-player simultaneous Co-Op, building upon the 2-player Co-Op introduced in the SNES Kirby games. The other 3 players controlled enemies Kirby has swallowed and discarded, making them allies. The game was meant to take the best aspects of the SNES and N64 Kirby titles, and update it for the more powerful Gamecube hardware. The graphics would be in full 3D, but gameplay would take place on a 2D plane, like in Kirby 64, and said gameplay seems to leave the formula mostly unchanged, with all the series' common conventions remaining.
Why Was It Cancelled?:
Kirby Adventure was an exciting title for Gamecube owners, and they were anxious to get their hands on it. Then... nothing. Other than delay announcements, Nintendo barely said anything after the game's initial showing at E3 '05, and fans were left in the dark. In the end, with the exception of the Game Boy Color, the Gamecube became the first [and only] major Nintendo console without a Kirby Platformer. No one is really sure why Nintendo cancelled Kirby Adventure, but most speculate that it was because they were focusing their efforts on the upcoming Revolution/Wii, and new games for it. In short, the game came too late in the GC's life to have a chance at being released. Oh, well. At least Kirby: Epic Yarn is coming to the Wii soon, so fans have that to look forward to.
Raven Blade
[img width=640 height=426]http://cubemedia.ign.com/media/previews/image/ravenblade/ravenblade13_640w.jpg[/img]
What Was It?:
After the N64 era, Nintendo was really starting to feel the hurt caused by the lack of RPGs on their consoles after the departure of Squaresoft to side with Sony's Playstation. Thus, they aimed to remedy this with the Gamecube, although they ultimately failed at achieving this goal. The best example of this was a game called Raven Blade. It was meant to be a Western Action RPG exclusive to the Gamecube, meant to be the first in a series of GC-exclusive games to fill out the console's RPG library. The game looked quite good, even in its beta phase, with impressive graphics and animation. The gameplay was meant to play like the acrobatics of Prince of Persia, combined with the framework of an Action RPG, to make something that made Gamecube owners proud. Too bad it got cancelled.
Why Was It Cancelled?:
Remember how I mentioned how Retro Studios had a huge restructuring and reorganization, and several games were cancelled? This was one of them. So, the same story applies as with Thunder Rally. It's Nintendo's loss, and Gamecube gamers' losses, too. The only good thing that came out this is that Metroid Prime probably became a much better game through Retro Studios focusing on it.
Kameo: Elements of Power
[img width=400 height=298]http://www.unseen64.net/wp-content/gallery/kameo24/kameo07.jpg[/img]
What Was It?:
Kameo was a title announced around the Gamecube's launch, and was predicted to be an early hit title for the 'Cube. Rare actually had many ambitious projects planned for the Gamecube, until they were bought out by Microsoft, and almost of them were scrapped. If you want my opinion, Rare becoming a Microsoft subsidiary company really killed their creativity and their spirit. But enough of that. Kameo was an action game in which you control a girl who can turn into different monsters to solve different puzzles, and defeat enemies. The monster changing system was actually quite interesting, as you could also summon some of these monsters to fight with you in battle. The game continues with Rare's distinctive cartoony art style, and it seemed to fit quite well with the game.
Why Was It Cancelled?:
As I said before, Kameo for the GC was cancelled because Microsoft acquired Rare in 2002, ending or heavily delaying most of their next-generation projects. The only game that Rare was allowed to finish for the Gamecube was Star Fox Adventures, which marked the very last Rareware game made for a Nintendo home console. They were permitted to continue making games for Nintendo's portable systems, but even that may change soon, with Microsoft launching Windows Phone 7. It's hard to believe that a once great developer like Rareware can go from making classics like Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong Country to making crap like Kinect Sports. *Sigh*... Anyway, Kameo was eventually released as an Xbox 360 launch title.
Dead Phoenix
[img width=576 height=448]http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/dead01_640w.jpg[/img]
What Was It?:
Dead Phoenix was an unreleased game by Capcom planned as a Gamecube exclusive, along with 4 other exclusive games, collectively known as the Capcom Five. Four of these 5 were eventually released, although 3 of them were eventually ported to the PS2. Dead Phoenix was supposed to be a hack-and-slash action game in which the character can fly around. Think "Dynasty Warriors" with wings. There were also Panzer Dragoon-esque shooting segments to the game, as well, as you can see above. While very little, if any, information was released about the game, it seems to have been shaping up to be a very fun and impressive game, with Gamecube graphics that we can only expect from Capcom.
Why Was It Cancelled?:
I honestly have no idea why Dead Phoenix was cancelled. Capcom never released any reasons for its cancellation, so there's nothing to speculate on. It's not like Capcom lacked the resources to make the game, so that's not a possibility. We'll never really know why Dead Phoenix was cancelled, at least until Capcom says something, which isn't likely to happen. Sorry, but I just don't have anything more to say.
Unity
[img width=466 height=339]http://www.unseen64.net/wp-content/gallery/unity/tg8.jpg[/img]
What Was It?:
I saved the best for last. Which, in this context, makes it the most tragic that it was never released. Unity was a psychadelic and wild game, combining aspects from Rez, Defender, and Tempest. Suitably enough, it was created in part by Jeff Minter, who created the latter. However, it was also created by Peter Molyneux, which pretty much doomed the game to a lack of a release since day one. The game had two different gameplay segments; the first of which resembled the classic shooter, Defender, in which the player can move his ship forward and backward across the screen, shooting down enemy ships. That part is pretty basic, and we've all seen it before, but the second part puts the player's ship on a circular tunnel, and they must move around it and shoot enemies as they approach. Switching between these two styles was to keep players constantly on their toes. The presentation is phenomenal, with hundreds of glowing lights and sounds surrounding you at all times, which is highly reminiscent of Sega's classic shooter, Rez. I was seriously having trouble believing this was actually a Gamecube game.
Why Was It Cancelled?:
Two words: Peter Molyneux.
Well, that's it for now. Looking back at all of these games, it is easy to see that the Gamecube was a well of untapped potential. At least we can see that some developers tried at pushing the limits of the little purple lunchbox. Let these games forever live on in our memory as what could have and what should have been. And who knows? Maybe someday a few beta versions of these games may pop up on the internet, and we may be able to experience at least a little bit of them. It's entirely possible, and in these cases shown above, I certainly hope so.
This is Lisalover1, desperately seeking a Radio Allergy beta disc.
[img width=320 height=451]http://www.gametab.com/images/ss/gcn/2321/box-l.jpg[/img]
Metal Gear is one of the most revered series in the action game genre, mainly due to all but perfecting the concept of stealth action. Despite the MSX and NES [and almost 3DO] Metal Gear games before it, Metal Gear Solid on the PS1 was the one that got everyone's attention, and marked a new milestone in gaming in which just Chuck Norris-ing your way through an action game was not the only option. You no longer had to worry about winning, you had to survive; a major accomplishment in and of itself. Thus, players were forced to think outside of the box [no pun intended] and figure out the best and safest way to go about a mission. But, I'll get to all that once I start the review. Most people remember Metal Gear Solid as just a PS1 game, but few know of the Gamecube remake, which featured countless enhancements to the original. Does the remake expand on the already superb Metal Gear Solid, or is there a reason that it has been neglected?
Gameplay
Continuing from my comments in the first paragraph, the Metal Gear games featured a radically new gameplay style, in which the player must sneak around and avoid combat as much as possible, in stark contrast to other action games. If you tried to complete the game by rushing in and shooting everything that moves, you would be quickly outnumbered, overwhelmed, and dead. After all, Solid Snake is still Human, he can only take so many bullets. That's not to say that it is hopeless. Throughout the game, you get access to some pretty cool weapons to mess around with. But, strangely enough, I found myself using the weakest weapon, the SOCOM pistol w/Silencer for most non-boss fight portions of the game, because it was the quietest weapon in my disposal. That's saying a lot about the effectiveness of a game's intended mindset when you don't want to use the Rocket Launcher(s), Machine Gun, or Sniper Rifle that you have, instead choosing the most sensible option. Speaking of weapons, the Gamecube version includes the First-Person aiming system from Metal Gear Solid 2, making aiming weapons and and looking around a lot easier, not to mention a lot more fun when making precise shots. That is the most notable gameplay mechanic change in the remake, but dozens of other tweaks and fixes were added to make the game more enjoyable. The "Very Easy" difficulty setting was also added. One thing I must note are the controls. Aiming in first-person mode is generally simple and straightforward, but sometimes, it can be very difficult to accurately aim your weapon in time if you need to shoot quickly. You can obviously still use the 3rd person perspective from the original, but shooting in first person is so much easier that it is hard to go back to the old way. Also, pausing in the game is weird; there is no real "pause" button. Instead, you have to either press A+Start to bring up the codec screen, or B+Start to bring up the map. Pressing Start alone It's a minor thing, but someone who doesn't know this when playing may find out the hard way, if you know what I mean. Despite some annoying cheap tricks that the game sometimes uses, and a few illogical segments in which you almost NEED a guide to progress, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes has incredibly solid gameplay and will provide a good challenge, no matter which difficulty setting you may choose.
Gameplay: 8/10
[img width=640 height=480]http://static2.videogamer.com/videogamer/images/gc/mgs2_twin_snakes/screens/mgs2_twin_snakes_43.jpg[/img]
Story
Gamers have always praised MGS' story, saying it is more like a good action movie than an action game. After playing through it myself, I have to say that you can believe the hype. Written by Konami's mad genius, Hideo Kojima, Metal Gear Solid's storyline is powerful, gripping, and confusing. The game starts out simplistic enough; covert operations soldier Solid Snake is sent in to get information on the new war machine known as Metal Gear Rex. That's where the simplicity ends, though, as things start to fall apart soon after, resulting in a perplexing and compelling mystery that doesn't really make sense until the end. Many people complained about the game leaving you in the dark for so long, but in my opinion, it adds tension and motivation to keep playing.
As I have said, Snake himself is a relatively vulnerable character when considering how quickly he can die in the game, and how the player is actually afraid of even common enemies in the game, because you are heavily outnumbered and outgunned. This is a very interesting storytelling mechanic known as Disempowerment. In other words, in most action games, you are more than capable of dealing with enemies, and in large numbers. The only thing limiting you is your own skill, because the character is naturally stronger than the enemies in the game. That's empowerment, where for the most part, you don't have to worry about the enemies, because you know you are stronger than them. Conversely, disempowerment is when the character is not stronger than the enemies. When the player knows that he can be quickly defeated by enemies which have more powerful weapons and/or more people to help them, tension and even fear are created, giving the player a healthy dose of respect for the situation the game has put them in. They must use everything that both the character and the player has at their disposals to overcome the challenge, despite being in a disadvantageous situation. This establishes somewhat of a bond between the player and the character, and draws them into the story. Metal Gear Solid masterfully utilizes disempowerment, and it shows.
Something that people seem to forget about Metal Gear Solid is that it actually has a good sense of humor at times, even with its serious story. Everyone of course knows about Psycho Mantis' memory card-reading trick [which was updated in The Twin Snakes to recognize saves from some of Nintendo's games], which is probably kind of freaky if you didn't know about it until playing it. Early in the game, I was told that I needed to call a frequency on my codec, but the game didn't tell me what it was. All that was said was that it was "On the back of the package". I remember looking forever for that code in the game, until I realized that I was actually supposed to look on the back of the game's box, where the code is shown in a screenshot! Brilliant! At another point, I had to press the A button as fast as I could to stay alive, so I went to the other room to get my turbo controller, to make it easier. Just as I was about to switch controllers, one of the characters faced the screen, and said, "And don't even think about using a turbo controller, because I'll know!" I was positively shocked, but I laughed my *$% off about it the entire rest of the day! One more thing, in the original MGS, in a certain part of the game, you are in an office, and you could find a PS1 connected to a TV in one of the cubicles. In The Twin Snakes, it is replaced by a Gamecube and Wavebird controller, on the Gamecube system menu. There are also now Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi dolls in another cubicle. Little things like that give the game charm and personality. Other than that, the story in the remake went mostly unchanged, save for a few minute differences.
Story: 9.5/10
[img width=480 height=360]http://i.ytimg.com/vi/lXISD1jXDjU/hqdefault.jpg[/img]
Sound
The entire soundtrack of Metal Gear Solid was recomposed and re-recorded for the Gamecube version, to take advantage of the extra storage space, and the superior audio capabilities of the 'Cube. Most of the tunes are just higher-fidelity versions of the originals, with slight alterations, but Konami added a few new tracks, as well. For example, the music that plays when escaping from enemy sight, and waiting for the caution meter to go down is now replaced with the opening theme from Metal Gear Solid 2/3 [I always liked that song]. The game also supports Dolby Pro Logic II, so if you have a good audio setup, and if you're really bold, a modified Gamecube with optical audio output, then the game will sound heavenly. The audio for this game alone is practically a tech demo. All the voices were re-recorded as well, with almost all of the original voice actors. They sound as good as ever, though, and capture the essence of each character very well.
Sound: 9/10
Graphics
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes looks spectacular. There's no denying it, the game is a technical masterpiece. Running in 480p progressive scan, at a steady 60 frames per second, and sporting some of the best graphics the Gamecube has to offer, even outclassing the other Metal Gear Solid games on the PS2. The 3D models are exquisite, the textures are detailed, and countless new effects and details were added from the PS1 version. For example, in the portions when Snake is outside, the snow effect is much more realistic, and the snow even sticks to and piles up on Snake if you stand still! All the graphics got completely overhauled from the original, and it is apparent that Silicon Knights and Konami really went over the top to push the limits of the Gamecube. The original Metal Gear Solid may have been a very graphically impressive PS1 game, but The Twin Snakes makes it look like it was running on a 32X! I barely recognize the original after seeing the remake. The cutscenes were redone, as well, with new camera angles, and much more action than the relatively static originals. One area in particular that I want to point out is the weapons. The weapons in The Twin Snakes are so meticulously detailed that you would think they were meant for a very early 360 game! You don't believe me? The character models are a major improvement, as their mouths actually move when they talk, and you can clearly see their faces. You have no idea how much nicer this is. Now, with the power of the Nintendo Gamecube, Metal Gear Solid is a true cinematic game.
Score: 10/10
[img width=700 height=258]http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/mgs_notwinsmegaton_1.jpg[/img]
Extras/Value
One glaring omission from the remake that I must address is the lack of VR missions. The original game had them as a sort of warm-up before the actual game, and they became so popular that a separate PS1 game was released only containing VR missions. Silicon Knights intended to include them in the Gamecube version, but ran out of time. They were actually going to add a few more things to the game, but didn't want to delay it any further, so it was released without those extras. It's a shame; the VR missions were pretty fun. Oh, well. Also, as was the case with Tales of Symphonia, a special-edition Gamecube was released in a special edition of the game, and is now a collector's item.
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is one of the more sought-after Gamecube titles, and because of this, it is more expensive than your average Gamecube game, and is currently being sold at Gamestop for $23. Unless you played the original a lot and you're comfortable with the original as it is, then I would definitely recommend buying The Twin Snakes. It is essential to a Gamecube collection, and is just a great game for everyone else. However, I can understand if you are a devoted MGS fan, that you would want the original only... kind of. You might be crazy, and you should probably get yourself checked out.
Extras/Value: 7.5/10
[img width=413 height=285]http://www.gamechoiceclub.com/image/gc_mgs_pak.gif[/img]
Overall
Metal Gear has rightfully earned its place as one of the cornerstone franchises of action games, and maybe one of the most revered series of all time. The remake of the landmark third game in the series, Metal Gear Solid, proves that the best can get even better when you don't have to deal with hardware restrictions. The Twin Snakes showed how a remake should be done, and gave Gamecube owners something to brag about to jealous PS2 owners. With superior graphics, sound, and gameplay, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes was an absolute triumph, and should be remembered as the game Metal gear Solid should have been all along.
Overall: 9/10
This is Lisalover1, sneaking up behind you right now.
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This is lisalover1's Blog.
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A look at the past, present, and even future of Nintendo's most overlooked home console. This blog will feature reviews, retrospectives, and investigations regarding the Nintendo Gamecube, or anything else that falls within this spectrum. |
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