Game Review: Pokemon Heart Gold (Nintendo DS, 2009)

Pokemon is one of the best entertainment of my childhood.

My first Pokemon is the Pokemon Blue on the Gameboy Color. Pokemon has been one of the part of my childhood. Pokemon Heart Gold, which was revamped from the original Pokemon Gold, able to delivers the nostalgia of Pokemon lovers.

Game Freak did more than giving a new coat of paint with the 3D Engine. They also added massive thing in this massive game. Pokewalker gadget also brings a twitst in this franchise

Players will control either Ethan or Lyra as the main character of this game. Players will be able to choose from three starting pokemon, which is the Fire-type Cyndaquil, the Grass-type Chikorita, and the Water-type Totodile. Don't worry if you are new to this franchise, as this is very friendly to beginner. The story of this game is to stop Team Rocket once more from conquering the world of Pokemon to their bidding and to be the best Pokemon trainer in the world.

Pokemon Heart Gold still follows the original formulas, players can teach their Pokemons, fishing, playing minigames, and the most important is to catch a Pokemon.

What I like from this Pokemon game is that there is TWO regions, yes, two, that can be explored. Kantoh and Johtoh. Each regions have their own 8 gym leaders that we can fight. The amount of the legendary Pokemons beside its cover, Ho-oh, were overwhelming. You can catch many legendary Pokemons from the first generation to the fourth generation, not counting upcoming events.

The game's design is rooted into the older Japanese RPG style, consisting of random battle and random Pokemons encounters.

Below is the A.G.E Framework for this game:

Game Review: Plague Inc. (iOS,Android, 2014)

Hello again fellow gamers!

Today I would like to review a very good game in my opinion. This game is called the Plague Inc. and it is a mobile game.

Plague Inc. was created by Ndemic Creations, and I think that they deserves kudos for this game. Not only it addictive, it is simple yet so fun.

The goal of this game is to infect the whole world and to eradicate humanity.This can be done by the players by evolving the respective bacteria or virus that they have chosen before. The players will lose the game if they failed to kill all the host or killing all infected before whole world was infected. The nation can also do a research to eradicate the plague.

The players can choose the normal mode, which they can choose from bacterias, prions, viruses, to a lethal bio organic weapon. The players have to mutate the carriers into a more lethal weapon. Players can select a nation to begin the infection. Then, the players can pop yellow bubbles to gain evolution points that can be used to level up the carriers, which divided into three section. Players can level up the infect ability of the carriers to infect other nation rapidly, or to level up Severity and also Lethality to kill the people quickly.

The players can mutate the carriers to a more dangerous plague, like causing nausea, insanity, or even total organ failures. The players also have the option to increase the defense of the carriers to hot climate, cold climate, or even research technology.

In this game, players can also follow a scenario that been set up before by Ndemic Creations. They have a micro payment system that can be used to unlock genes and scenarios.

I think this is one of the best mobile application that I have ever played. The game itself is a bit underrated. What I expect from this game is to increase more scenario plots.

Below is the A.G.E Framework for this game :

Game Design: Grand Theft Auto IV (Xbox360,PS3,PC 2008)

Grand Theft Auto IV was one of the biggest game release in 2008.

You play as the Serbian Niko Bellic, which I think is one of the coolest video game character. Fresh from the boat from Eastern Europe, Niko Bellic wanted to live in the so called American Dream. Niko came to the U.S because he received an E-mail from his cousin, Roman, that he lived in luxury.

On his arrival to Liberty City, Niko realized that it was a big fat lies, and soon he makes way to gain money by doing errands and stuffs for mobs and also the police. As progressed further into the game, we can see the development of the character.

GTA IV has been a tremendous change introduced in the series. The graphical change from Playstation 2 to the next gen consoles has been so mesmerizing. Players can navigate through the beautiful rendered Liberty City. SatNav, which act as a GPS can lead you to a location that you wanted to visit. The combat has been revoked also. Players can take cover behind a wall, or even concrete. The AI in this game is also quite challenging to beat. What a like the most is the fact that you can hail a taxi if you don't want to commit a crime with stealing vehicles. 

Players can also do minigames like bowling, dart, and also shopping clothes. Players can buy ammunition and weaponry if they feels they lack of firepower.

GTA IV has a very well written story, exploiting the character of Niko Bellic and his determination to live in American Dream. The missions of this game are all well suited to the characters. 

The cheat system in this game is few compared to its predecessor. I love the fact that you can explore the city with its detailed environment, with cars, motorcycle, or even helicopters.

This game is a solid 5 stars in my opinion. All GTA fans, or even sandbox gamers have to play this game.

Below is the A.G.E Framework for this game:

Game Review: Battlefield 4 (Xbox One, PS4, PC, 2014)

The new Battlefield 4 offers a glorious gun blazing action that delivers the an immerse and polished experience in the series. With the new engine Frostbite 3, the graphic was so good to miss.

Because mainly people are focused to the multiplayer of Battlefield 4, doesn't mean that the single player campaign is bad. Battlefield 4 follows the single squad of Tombstonem as the U.S becomes mixed in a militaristic faction of Chinese government. Set in 2020, China's Admiral Chang, the main foe of the game, plans to overthrow China's government and prepare to support the Russian which had been in war with U.S for six years.

In this game, you can hide behind concrete barrier, or even in pipe. However, the bullet from the enemy will slowly tear away your cover, forcing you to act else. The AI in this game is also fair enough to be a challenge to the player.

In the multiplayer section, you can still play Conquest, Deathmatch, and many more game types. The new added feature which is Levelution is pretty great in both aesthetic and technical use. The Levelution is a feature which one of the part of the level will changed if triggered, such as the huge skyscraper in Shanghai mapwill goes down if the pillars take too much damage, killing every one in it.

Battlefield 4 has overthrow other franchise, which is Call of Duty in term of players and experience. The support of the dedicated servers also serve the players well.

I think that this game is worth playing, especially the multiplayer.

Below is the A.G.E Framework of this game:

Game Review: Resident Evil 4 (PS2,Gamecube, 2005)

Continuing from the previous post about Resident Evil universe, here is my post about the Fourth Installment 

of the series, which many would think it is the best of the series yet so far.

The player controls the protagonist that was introduced earlier in the past instalment in the Resident Evil series, Leon Kennedy. The story took place in a fictional rural place in Spain. Leon has to rescue the president’s daughter, Ashley Graham and battle the mysterious cult, Los Illuminados, who kidnapped Ashley. 

The gameplay has changed drastically, the player controls Leon from a third person, over-the shoulder perspective. Laser sight has been added to the game, to enhance the aiming of the player, which shooting various part of the body will affect the enemies differently. For example, if the player shoot the enemies’ legs, they will limp, or if they place their shot in the head, it will usually result as insta-kill. The quick time event buttons are also introduced in this game, where players have to press certain buttons to interact with cut-scenes. The game still retain it eerie atmosphere, where enemies are able to jump scare the players. Ammunition and powerful weapon are also limited, retaining all the survival horror factor from its predecessor.

This game was so enjoyable, that every horror and action gamers should play. It got every aspect to be one of the best game in the decade. The horror and the action was very balanced and very versatile.

Below is the A.G.E Framework for this game: 

Game Review: Mass Effect 3 (Xbox360,PS3,PC, 2012)

Mass Effect 3 is a massive game.

Massive ending to the one of the best trilogy in the decade. By massive, I didn't mean it's not flawless. Many people says that the ending of the game was so disappointing that Bioware needed to release an Extended Cut to clear the ending out of confusion.

Taking the role of Commander Shepard once more, players are driven to prevent the Reaper that wanted to exterminate all lifeforms every 50,000 years. Still continuing from the previous installment, the players are served with a beautiful space, battle hardened Krogans, and many more artifacts that needed to be find. The players can now use Omni-Blade as a melee weapon. There are still classes such as Soldier, Vanguard, Infiltrator, etc. to be chosen. Each respective class has its own specialty.

Still a very good game, Mass Effect 3 cannot overcome its predecessor, the Mass Effect 2, as the best in the series. Many features was cut from Mass Effect 2 like manual mining from planet to planet. I understand that the developer had a huge burden in creating the ending of this enormous trilogy.

Below are the A.G.E Framework of this game:

Thank you all for reading my review. Be sure to play this game as the DLCs are worth checking for!

Game Review: Outlast (PC, 2013)

Batteries!

This was the first time in my life, in a game, that our character life depends on this little thing.

Outlast deliver a sensational and solid horror game, where the player control a Miles Upshur, a journalist that venture deep into an asylum to uncover the horror of it... only to succumbed into it. In this stealth/horror game, the player can only escape from the enemy. Running, hiding, are the only weapon that Miles can use against horrific enemies that are chasing him in the Asylum. 

Players are also faced with puzzle, and very terrifying atmosphere of the Mount Massive Asylum. The players are forced to find batteries, the source of power of Miles' camcorder, which he use to navigate through the darkness of the asylum

Red Barrels as the developer of this game has been so splendid. All horror that gamers could possibly imagine can be depicted in this game. In the time that horror game was all about action, Outlast refreshes the mind of horror loving gamer with its game play.

Below are the A.G.E Framework of this game:

Thank you of reading my review! You can check this game in the link below.

Link : http://store.steampowered.com/app/238320/

Game Review: Resident Evil 3 (PSX, 1999)

I must admit, I am a big fan of Resident Evil....stories. I have huge curiosity of this series' beautiful orchestrated story of Resident Evil universe.

The third installment of Resident Evil series, the Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, was a splendid and terrifying. The player controls the famous S.T.A.R.S member Jill Valentine, which also on of the main character in the Resident Evil universe. The control still looks like a classic Resident Evil, where each area can be seen from a different vantage point. Equipment and munition are balanced, not to scarce and not to over placed. However, the main point of this game is, no doubt, the Nemesis itself. A very terrifying, horrendous looking, B.O.W (Bio Organic Weapon) from the Tyrant family. It will relentlessly chase the players through out the game.

This game was very beautifully made, which each part was crafted well (no trashy jump scares). This game is indeed one of the pinnacle of the Resident Evil universe games

Below are the A.G.E Framework for this game:

Thank you for reading my review. Be sure to check this fantastic game and play it!

Game Review: Dark Souls 2 (Xbox360,PS3,PC, 2014)

Fist clenching, head spinning, everything that you hear will be so infuriating.

You are down to your final Estus Flask, a very fundamental healing item in this game. However, blam! The flaming sword of the Smelter Demon hit you very hard you see the death screen again and again.

That's my brief excruciating and frustrating moment in this game. Successor of the highly grossed game Dark Souls, Dark Souls 2  is the second installment in the series, not counting Demon's Souls.

As a player that spent 100 hours in the previous game, I was anticipating this game so long. Upon the release date in PC, I played this game like 5 hours straight. I missed the frustration that were generated in the previous game, and boy Dark Souls 2  will give any masochist gamers out there a big satisfaction.

Many changes was brought from the previous installment. The removal of leveling up system in the Bonfire, a universal checkpoint, to a single entity named Emerald Herald, just like Maiden in Black in Demon's Souls. The players can also travel along bonfire from the very beginning. There are also changes in the starting classes, which the dual-wielding Swordsman and the versatile Explorer are added to the rosters.  The area is much more bigger than the previous game, which the players have to relies on warping from bonfire to other.

The story is set 200 years after the previous games, setting the players to be an undead that seeks for cure in order to restore their humanity. The players must seek King Vendrick, and have to collect 4 Great Souls in order to gain passage to Draenglic Castle, the King's domain.

Below are the A.G.E framework that was made before:

That's all for today's game review. I hope you guys try this game.

Thanks for your time, and see you later!

Assignment 2

Hello again fellow gamers!

In this important post, I would like to explain about my assignment which was done by our group, John Daiki, Vincentsius Yuda, and Fennedi.

Our assignment, as previously stated by Prof.Roberto Dillon, is to create a game.

We created a board game inspired heavily by Mario Kart game, which we named it Kodomo Kart.

Our boardgame can be played by 3 to 4 people, which is suitable for all age.

Our boardgame consisted of the board itself, which was shaped like a track. On the track, we put 4 lane for the pawns which was shaped like a cart. The players can choose from 4 unique characters, including Mata the Cheetah, Tako the Octopii, Bonobo the Primate, and Bubble the wise Turtle. Each character have different skills.

The story of this game is about a Kodomo Kingdom, where animals can compete in race track to be the next heir of King Leo, the reigning animal in Kodomo Kingdom.

In this board game, players an move the character with a die which is previously modified, containing only number 3,4,5 in each side. The players can also get a power up as they progress around the track symbolized by crystallized question marks as they pass by.

The power ups in this game consists of a deck, which if a players get it, he or she shall pick one card from the deck. The power ups consist of banana, which can stop a player from their movement, mushroom that can boost their movement, green and red turtle shells that can be used to shoot down an opponent, and many more power ups that can be also unlocked,

The Kodomo Kart will be finished if there is a player that come first in finishing 3 laps of the track.

Below are the picture of our assignment:

So that's it for this post. I hope you enjoy this post, and can be a future reference for your work in designing board game. Ciao!

Puzzle Game ( Week 9 )

Back again to my blog, I will cover about our tutorial in week 9, where we were told to form a group, again with John Daiki and Vincentsius Yuda. We were told to create a puzzle game. Prof. Roberto Dillon had provided us with the paper that we are about to make the puzzle game with.

The main idea of our puzzle game is that we have two modes, which are "Normal Mode" and "Challenge Mode". In the first mode, the players must complete the game under certain time before it ran out. In the second mode, the players have to finish the game quickly.

More complete explanation can be seen below in the figures:

 

 

 The player will have a start point, and they can move by choosing the arrow. There are several obstacles like doors and walls. We will still improve from the comment that Prof. Roberto Dillon gave us.

That's all for the tutorial post. I hope to see you again in the upcoming posts!

The Staff of Magnus, a 5-Room Dungeon

Today I will tell you about the 5 Room Dungeons concept which was taught by Prof. Roberto Dillon. 5 Room Dungeons is basically a template for RPG game structure that was proposed by John Four. The concept of 5 Room Dungeons is that the player can progress through rooms, which the rooms will be much more difficult than the previous rooms. We are told to form  group and to create a 5 Room Dungeon with John Daiki, Vincentsius Yuda, and Fennedi. We decided to name the dungeon "The Staff of Magnus".

Our first room's setting is a large stairs leading to a big arc which lead to a giant stone door. Along the stairs are nomad bandits, where they will attack you. Upon arrival to the big stone door, the player will be greeted by the vicious Arcane Golem. When the players defeat the golem, they can progress through the next room.

The second room's setting was a trap room, where player can risk them self to trap to gain treasures that was already laid. In the second room there were no enemies. The second room contain a trap that lead to a pedestal that will lit the third room, which will be explained next.

In the third room lays a very dark maze, which if the players succeed to lit the room with pressing the pedestal, the player will gain sight of the maze. Upon arriving in the middle of the maze, the players will meet a formidable enemy. If the players succeeded to slay this enemy, they can progress to the next stage, which is the Boss Room.

The fourth room contain a Boss, a strong and formidable opponent which halt the players. The boss here is an ancient warchief, where its combat ability is so versatile. The players can use the environment against him. However, the boss cannot be defeated as he can use his ancient knowledge to overwhelm the players. The players can choose one person to sacrifice them self to bind their soul together with the warchief to send him back in time. By doing that, the remaining players can progress to the final room which contain a treasure that they are searching for.

In the final room which is the fifth room, which is a big room with many skeleton of fallen warrior were stored. Players meet an ancient spectre which guard the Staff of Magnus. The spectre will tell about the history of the staff and give the players the staff.

That's all for the 5 Room dungeon post. I hope that this post will give you more knowledge about game design and board game. See you later in the next post!