Ape Escape 2 | Video Review

Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Studio
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Reviewed on: PlayStation 4
Available on: PlayStation 2 & PlayStation 4
Released: March 14th 2003

Ape Escape 2 is the sequel to one of the better 3D platformers on the PS1 (which I reviewed last month). But with the jump to the PS2 can Ape Escape 2 live up to the original and perhaps expand on the solid foundation that Ape Escape 1 laid out?

Despite being quite a big fan of the Ape Escape series I hadn't ever played Ape Escape 2 until I decided to do this review and what made it so much easier is the fact that it's now on PS4 as a PS2 Classic meaning I could play it in 1080p and use the share function to record all my gameplay.

All in all I had a lot of fun with it and I'm excited to revisit Ape Escape 3 after playing the others to see how it compares.

Top 5 Highlights of PlayStation Experience 2016 | List

This is a list of my top 5 highlights of the PlayStation Experience 2016 showcase which was live-streamed on the 3^rd December (the 22^nd birthday of the PS1). The event was basically a mini E3 all about the future (and past) of PlayStation games. While not being as strong as Sony's previous showcase at E3 earlier this year, it was still a very strong event featuring some new announcements and some new gameplay footage for games that have been previously revealed.

Despite not being a huge event (when compared to the likes of E3) Sony didn't seem to hold back with the new releases and announcements. It was a great showcase and got me hyped for more information regarding certain games and to get my hands on some of them. This list is ordered from least anticipated (at the top) to most anticipated (at the bottom). So, without further delay, here are my highlights of the event:

Ape Escape | Review

Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Studio

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Reviewed on: PlayStation

Available on: PlayStation

Released on: May 31^st 1999

Ape Escape is a series of 3D collectathon platformers I've always been fond of but one which I've never properly delved into all that much. There are three main series games, the first of which was on the PS1 and the two sequels were released on the PS2. I've only ever completed Ape Escape 3 which I remember being very good, though I've not played it for a long time.

I had a demo of the first Ape Escape and this made me want to try out the full game but until relatively recently I had never gotten around to doing so. Exactly why this is I have no idea but it could have something to do with the fact that the PS2 was released quite soon after Ape Escape's release, so I had simply moved on to the new system by the time I would have gotten around to playing it.

My Game & Console Collection | List

Over the years I've collected quite a few consoles and games. My first home console was the original PlayStation which was my only one for quite a while, I also had an original Game Boy as my only handheld console at around this time too. For quite a long amount of time I remained loyal to the PlayStation and Game Boy brands, eventually getting a PlayStation 2 and a Game Boy Color but it was around this time that I started to branch out by getting a GameCube, Xbox 360 and PC. More recently I've found myself collecting the older Nintendo systems I missed out on, such as the NES and Nintendo 64, but I also purchase new consoles (with my most recent additions being the Switch and the PS5). I've also been trying to build up my GameCube collection because that's a system I feel like I massively missed out on as a kid.

Many of the games I had when I was younger I eventually sold when I grew tired of them and started playing them less, which is something I regret looking back on it. Because of this, I've been trying to remember the games I had as a kid and re-buy them to complete the collection I used to have (as well as expanding on that collection).

Hugo | Video Review

Developer: ITE Media

Publisher: ITE Media

Reviewed on: PlayStation

Available on: PlayStation

Released: 1998

This is a Halloween special video review for a PlayStation game I've owned since I was a kid, I've never been a fan of. People often call Bubsy 3D the worst game on PS1 (or ever) but I disagree, this is one of the few games I consider to be worse.

If you give the video a watch, let me know what you think! Any feedback is appreciated!

Mistigri | Review

Developer: Benjamin Soulé

Publisher: Benjamin Soulé

Reviewed on: PC

Available on: PC

Released: 29^th May 2016

Mistigri is a game developed using a game making toolkit called PICO-8, the toolkit offers budding game creators a few preset assets and tools they can use to affordably and easily make a short game that can be played for free in web browsers. The games all have a retro inspired pixel art aesthetic and controls can consist of only six buttons which harkens back to the days of arcade machines and the NES.

This particular game is heavily inspired by Bubble Bobble (which just so happens to be one of my favourite NES era platformers) so I was immediately drawn to it. The level structure, visual style, weapon upgrades, music and some of the gameplay elements are very similar to Bubble Bobble, but does Mistigri do enough to set it apart from the very game that inspired it?

140 | Review

Developer: Jeppe Carlsen

Publisher: Jeppe Carlsen & Double Fine Productions (Console Versions)

Reviewed on: PC

Available on: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One & Wii U

Released: October 16^th 2013

140 is a minimalist 2D platformer created by Jeppe Carlsen who is most well known for being the lead gameplay and level designer of INSIDE (which you can click HERE to read my review of) and LIMBO which are two of my favourite games of all time. But whereas INSIDE and LIMBO both have dark themes and visual styles and focus on telling a story through symbolism and metaphors, 140 is about as simple as you could make a platformer.

140 is almost the anti-LIMBO and INSIDE, it couldn't be more colourful, it has an upbeat electronic soundtrack and it has very little in the way of story. But what it shares with the aforementioned games is how fantastically the levels are designed. At it's core 140 is about as simple as a 2D platformer can get, you move with the left analogue stick and jump with the A button (I'm playing with an Xbox 360 controller) and that's it. You would think this would mean the game is too simple right? Well no, 140 is quite a challenge to complete and despite its simple graphical style, it's more complicated than it first appears to be.

Pokémon Red/Blue/Yellow Version | Review

Developer: Game Freak

Publisher: Nintendo

Reviewed on: 3DS (Virtual Console)

Available on: Game Boy & 3DS (Virtual Console)

Released: September 28th 1998

For the first time since the late 1990s Pokemon is once again gaining huge amounts of media attention, everyone is talking about it and everyone seems to not be able to get enough of it. This is mostly due to the hugely popular Pokemon Go app being released on mobile devices, you can't go anywhere without seeing someone playing Pokemon Go and I think this is great because it's a franchise that I really like and it's good to see both old fans and new fans alike talking about it.

But in this Pokemon resurgence let's not forget where the series started, let's rewind to the first Pokemon boom and revisit the original Pokemon games which were released on the original Game Boy in 1998. The original trio of Pokemon games have recently been released on the Nintendo 3DS making them more relevant and easy to get a hold of than ever before (the specific version I played for this review is Pokemon Blue Version).

INSIDE | Review

Developer: Playdead

Publisher: Playdead

Reviewed on: PlayStation 4

Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One & PC

Released: June 29^th 2016

I want to begin this review by saying that because I've been looking forward to this game coming out for so long (basically since I first played LIMBO, which is Playdead's first game) I'm going to be slightly biased with my review in the way that I was bound to think it was good. Having said that, it could have easily swung both ways, because I love LIMBO so much, I was unsure as to whether INSIDE could live up to it and for that reason I was going to either end up feeling disappointed or loving it just as much (or more).

I would also like to say, while this review is spoiler free, it may contain minor spoilers about some environments and very vague themes brought up by the games story. So if you want to avoid any information about the game at all, stop reading now. Any major spoilers will not be mentioned in this review.

Brutal Doom: Hell on Earth | Review

Developer: Sergeant_Mark_IV

Publisher: Sergeant_Mark_IV

Reviewed on: PC

Available on: PC

Released: (v20b) January 1^st 2016

Being a big fan of the original Doom (you can read my review of the PlayStation port of Doom HERE), you would have expected me to have played some of the many mods that have been created by fans of the game, yet I haven't ever played one. For my first ever Doom mod I thought I would play perhaps the most famous of all Doom mods; Brutal Doom, a mod which changes the original Doom formula in many ways.

For those that don't know, a mod is a modification (often fan made) of a game or game engine that can add things like graphical or gameplay fixes/tweaks, or add entirely new content which can range from new weapons, new levels or in the case of some ambitious mods, they can pretty much be an entirely different game. Brutal Doom: Hell on Earth is an example of a ambitious mod which adds brand new levels, new interactive environments, better lighting, new weapons, modernised shooter controls (the ability to jump, crouch, look up and down, reload, a melee button, etc), voice acting, a new story, more blood and gore, new enemy animations and attacks and so much more. It's basically a brand new Doom game which uses the same graphics as Doom 1 and 2.

10 Games That Should Have HD/Eighth Generation Remasters | List

The end of the last generation of video games saw a trend in the creation of HD ports of sixth generation games. Now we're in the eighth generation this trend has moved on to porting seventh generation games to the newest console to keep them relevant. Whether this porting process is a good or a bad thing is down to personal preference. My opinion on the matter is that if you don't add anything in the porting process or if the game has aged well anyway then there's no point in creating a remaster.

Some ports have been great, there's been the Kingdom Hearts HD collections, The Legend of Zelda HD ports, the recent Resident Evil (Gamecube remake) port and the Oddworld HD ports (of Munch's Oddysee and Stranger's Wrath). All of these have either added new or modified content to the original game or have been introduced to platforms that the games previously weren't on, which I think is great as it introduces new players to the games and gives old players a reason to replay them.

17 Sub-Genres of Platformer Games | List

Platformers (otherwise known as 'platform games') are easily my favourite type of video game, from the popular titles such as Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog and Crash Bandicoot to more obscure gems like Skullmonkeys, Tombi! and Heart of Darkness. I enjoy every form of platformer and I've played quite a few of them, both new and old!

So maybe you've played a platformer and you're wondering how to catagorise it to find similar titles, or maybe you're interested to know how varied games can be that are basically all about jumping from platform to platform, maybe you just want a lesson on the brief history of platformers, or you don't even know exactly what defines a game as a platformer. Well, if you're thinking any of those things you're in the right place, because I'm about to go through 17 sub-genres of plaformer games, starting from the most traditional, to the more obscure.

Crash Bandicoot | Review

Developer: Naughty Dog

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment & Universal Interactive Studios

Reviewed on: PlayStation

Available on: PlayStation

Released: September 9th 1996

Crash Bandicoot is a 3D platformer created by Naughty Dog (the studio behind the Jak and Daxter, Uncharted and The Last of Us games) in 1996. It's one of the first games I ever played and one which I've played many times since and what better time to talk about it seeing as it's recently been revealed that a HD remake of Crash Bandicoot and it's two sequels is being developed.

Crash Bandicoot was created with the intention of introducing a new mascot for the newly released PlayStation, in a similar way to how Nintendo had Mario and Sega had Sonic. Although Crash never officially became the PlayStation mascot, he was unofficially known as such and his name became synonymous with the console. If you owned a PlayStation the odds are you will have had a Crash Bandicoot game, they were must-have titles which everyone remembers fondly, but, does Crash's first outing deserve the acclaim the series went on to gain?

Super Mario Bros. | Review

Super Mario Bros. is a game that needs no introduction, it's perhaps the most recognisable video game of all time. It's a 2D platformer released on the NES in 1985 and it's among one of the games that popularised the platforming genre on home consoles.

Everyone knows who Mario is, everyone knows what he does, everyone knows the music and most people who are avid gamers know the first levels of this game inside out. Having said that, a lot of people (that aren't avid gamers or that simply don't play retro games) may not have actually played the original game and those that have may not have played it to completion. So this review is going to talk about the game as a complete entity and give an opinion on whether the game holds up today, or whether it's dated and should be left as naught but a pleasant memory.

My Top 10 Highlights of E3 2016 | List

This is a list of my top 10 highlights of E3 2016, the list is about games which have either been announced or have previously been revealed and just expanded on at the event. This year has been one of the strongest ever for Sony and because of that a lot of the games on the list are from that conference, however there are also quite a few from the other conferences too. All in all it's been a really good year for E3, with a lot of games being announced, a lot of actual gameplay being shown, a lot of release dates given and a lot of unexpected shocks. Anyway, without further ado, here's the list, starting from my least anticipated to most anticipated.

Doom II (PlayStation) (Part Two) | Review

This is the second part of my review of Doom on the PlayStation, the first part is available by clicking 'here' if you haven't already read it (I highly recommend reading the first part before this).

As I mentioned in part one, the PlayStation port of Doom also features Doom II, so rather than look at both games in one review, I decided to split them up into two parts because they are technically two different games (at least their original PC versions were). This review is a lot shorter than the first part due to the fact that I went into a lot of detail with the mechanics of the first Doom in part one of my review and most of these mechanics are the same in Doom II.

But here, to celebrate the release of Doom (2016), is the second part of my review of Doom for the PlayStation, this time focusing on the Doom II section.

Doom (PlayStation) (Part One) | Review

This is a review of the PlayStation port of the original Doom (originally released in 1993, and ported to the PlayStation in 1995, making it a very early PlayStation game). With the new Doom game being released tomorrow, I decided to go back to the series' roots and try out the classic Doom experience.

This will be my first review which has been split into two parts (the second part will be released tomorrow to celebrate the release of the new Doom), this is because the PlayStation Doom is actually both the first Doom (well it's actually Ultimate Doom, which contains the forth episode added to the original version of Doom after it's initial release) and Doom II. This first part focuses on the first Doom and the second part is all about Doom II (which, before writing this review, I had never played).

I'm going to warn you, this is quite a long review. My reviews do tend to be quite long, but this one has an excuse because; A: It's technically two games in one and B: I feel like it deserves it. It is probably one of the most well designed first person shooters of all time and let's face it, it's Doom and Doom deserves nothing less than a long review!

Tenchu: Stealth Assassins | Review

I really enjoy stealth games, Metal Gear Solid is one of my favourite game series of all time and Hitman: Blood Money is up there in my favourite games too. Unfortunately in the grand scheme of things, there aren't that many pure stealth games, and good ones are even harder to come by.

I've been looking for a new one sink my teeth into and came across a series called Tenchu. I already have some pre-existing knowledge of the Tenchu series having played Tenchu Z on the Xbox 360 and I remember it being relatively good although somewhat forgettable. But after sending Tenchu Z to the back of my mind, I decided to go back to where the series started on the PlayStation and see if the Tenchu series is something I've been missing out on, or if it's just another game to throw onto the mediocre pile.

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger | Review

3D platformers are quite a rarity today, and it's a shame because they can be awesome and highly influential too, just look at Super Mario 64 and the acclaim that surrounds it. Even though they have a tendency to be simplistic in terms of gameplay mechanics and story, they are just fun, rewarding and challenging to play. Because of my passion for 3D platformers, I'm always on the lookout for new ones to try.

One particular series I missed out on was Ty The Tasmanian Tiger (as you can tell by the name of my blog, I can appreciate the use of alliteration). Ty has recently been getting some attention in the gaming world because of the upcoming remake of the original game (I say upcoming, it's actually on PC now, but in 'Early Access', meaning it's in a unfinished state, but is playable and available to buy). So I thought, why not revisit the original PS2 version of the game, and see what it's like.

15 Things I Want From the New Nintendo Console: Codename NX | List

For those that don't know, Nintendo have been working on a successor to the Wii U for quite some time now, but not very much information at all is known about it (beyond the fact it's codename is the NX). This has obviously led to people speculating as to what the console is, how it will work and what games will be on it. I would assume that Nintendo have a lot to say about the NX at this year's E3 event, but for now, I thought I would throw some of my thoughts onto the table. So below is a list of things (in no particular order) I want to see from Nintendo's new console.

Robotron: 2084 | Review

Robotron: 2084 is a 2D top down shooter originally released in arcades in 1982, it's also an early entry into the 'Bullet Hell' sub-genre. Bullet Hell games differ from standard top down shooters by featuring a lot of enemy projectiles darting around the screen at the same time, making it difficult for the player to avoid getting hit and thus avoid dying.

So, why am I reviewing this game now you ask? Well, a homage to Robotron: 2084 was recently included in the Fallout 4 DLC, 'Automatron', as a holotape game you can use on your in-game personal computer. After playing Automatron (the holotape game), I wanted to go back and play the game it was inspired by.

My Top 10 Best Platformers of the 7th Generation | List

During the seventh generation of games consoles (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii), there was a resurgence in the amount of platformers (particularly 2D platformers) being made. This probably started at around the time Braid and Bionic Commando: Rearmed came out on the Xbox Live Arcade, and were actually quite big hits. Nowadays, we can get a platformer from Steam, Xbox Live or the PlayStation Store easily because there are quite a lot to choose from, but back then it was slightly different.

Because of this resurgence, the seventh gen actually had quite a lot of very good platformers, and this list compiles my favourite ten. There are probably some platformers I haven't played, but I've played most of the popular ones and quite a few lesser known ones too. But obviously the ones I haven't played (or haven't played a lot of) won't be on this list.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD | Review

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is the newest game in the The Legend of Zelda franchise, or rather, it's the newest remaster of an older Zelda game. Twilight Princess was released in 2006 on Gamecube and Wii to universal acclaim, and now on it's 10 year anniversary, we have a HD remaster on the Wii U. Rather than focusing on the game itself, this review will primarily be about what makes Twilight Princess different from other Zelda titles and what's new in the HD version. By now we all know (and if you don't, you should know) how Zelda games are structured, so I won't be going into that here.

So let's start by talking about the HD remaster and the differences to the original. The most obvious difference which slaps you in the face the moment you turn the game on, is that the graphics are now HD. The game looks fantastic, it's clearer than the original versions (they were blurry to hide the bad draw distances caused by hardware limitations) and all the character and environment models and textures have been upgraded. I didn't come across a single thing in the game I thought looked bad.

My Top 10 Most Anticipated Upcoming Platformers (2016) | List

Platformer games have recently been seeing a huge resurgence. With indie platformers gaining a lot of positive attention and even tripe A publishers wanting a piece of the action, I figured I would make a list of the top 10 upcoming platformers I am personally looking forward to or interested in.

The list can be filled with any style of platformer (3D, 2D, Cinematic, etc, etc) and is simply a list of the platformers I am most looking forward to playing and a bit of information about them. There might be some that I've missed or some that you think I would like, so comment if you have any suggestions or if you think something is missing from the list! The list is also in a vague order from my least anticipated at the top to my most anticipated at the bottom, but some are interchangeable because I'm looking forward to them equally for different reasons. Also my opinion on upcoming games changes quite a lot because obviously I haven't played them myself and as such can't create a proper opinion on them. So, without further ado, let's get to it!

16 Things I Want From Super Smash Bros. For NX | List

A rumor has recently been spread around the internet that a port of Super Smash Bros. For Wii U is going to be a launch title for Nintendo's new console, codenamed the NX. I personally like this idea very much and think it would be a smart move for Nintendo to make. We know they are open to the idea of remastering and having the same game on multiple consoles because of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, and Twilight Princess HD. Not to mention that Twilight Princess was on both the Gamecube and Wii. So it's not out of the realm of possibility they will do a similar thing with Super Smash Bros.

It also makes logical sense because the game is still fairly new and has only just had it's 'last' DLC released. In theory it will be years before a new Super Smash Bros. game comes out, (although rumors also exist that this new Super Smash Bros. on the NX is a new game entirely, but I seriously doubt this) so port over the current game to the new console to tide fans over until the new one comes out (which it inevitably will), while also making a load of money in the meantime.

So although a good idea in theory, there are a few things that I would want to see in Super Smash Bros. For NX, after all, it would be the definitive version of the game, and as such it should have to meet the expectations fans have of what a definitive version of the game is (rather than just a lazy cash grab port). So here are 16 things I would like to see in Super Smash Bros. For NX (in no particular order).

Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko | Review

Gex: Deep Cover Gecko is the third and final game in the Gex series of games. The first game (simply titled 'Gex') is a 2D platformer, however, with the sequel, Gex made the jump from 2D to 3D. Both the 2D original and 3D sequels recieved fairly good reviews and are considered to be quite decent platformers. Not to the extent of the Super Mario or Crash Bandicoot series, but pretty decent nonetheless. All the Gex games were developed by Crystal Dynamics who were eventually bought by Eidos Interactive who were then bought by Square Enix. So the company that made Gex are technically still around today. only no longer under the name Crystal Dynamics and no longer developing Gex games (and I doubt any of the original team work at Square Enix anymore).

I have actually never played Gex or Gex: Enter the Gecko (the second game in the series), so I can't give my own opinion on them. However I have played Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko, so I thought I would give the game a revisit and see if it's a forgotten gem, or if it's been forgotten for good reason.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 | Review

The Tony Hawk series of games are perhaps the only sports games I have ever enjoyed. The first one I ever got my hands on was Pro Skater 3 back in 2001 and it was really like nothing else I had ever played. Instead of being a straight up simulator of real life skateboarding, it knew that in order to make a good video game based on real skateboarding you would need to combine the logic of video games with real life skateboarding. So what you end up with is a game where you skate around locations inspired by real life, doing real skateboarding tricks, but you're also able to jump (or ollie for all of us who understand skateboarding terminology) to super human heights, grind on rails to create earthquakes, break into a haunted house, stop criminals at an airport and all sorts of other crazy things. It's a skateboarding video game that knows it's a video game.