Gaming History: Controllers

This is a new, hopefully monthly segment where I'll be looking at hardware and issues surrounding video games. While consoles and games are hugely important to the gaming experience, there's another major factor which can change gameplay dramatically and that is the controller. There was a lot of speculation recently before the announcement of the PS4 and Xbox One controllers, as to their shape, size and features which shows that even in an era where the consoles and their specs are hugely important to gamers, the controllers are still a large part of the experience.

Before I get to the controllers of the present day however, I'd like to go through controllers generation by generation. For each, I'll be posting a picture of the controllers I own from said era but I'll be discussing ones that I've experienced and even some that are just too interesting not to mention.

(Controller for the Binatone Colour TV Game Mk. 10 - 1977)

As with a lot of the controllers for first generation video game systems, the Binatone Colour TV game (which is essentially a pong console) gives the player an analog knob which can be rotated about 360 degrees in either direction. As most consoles of the era played pong and its variants, this was a good way to control the paddle, and feels a lot more precise than a digital input. If you've ever tried playing pong on any sort of "Classics Collection" you'll understand.

The Magnavox Odysey controller is the only real odd one out of the well known controllers of the time. Released in 1972 it may well have been the inspiration for a lot of the controllers that followed in the first generation, with its three analog knobs; one for horizontal movement, one for vertical movement and a final one which would change the direction of the "ball" in sports games, allowing players to cheat as much as they liked.

(Controller for the Commodore Plus/4 - 1984)

The second generation of controllers was split almost equally between joysticks with a single button and numberpads with joysticks or control knobs. The classic design of the era is that of the Atari 2600 which featured a joystick with a single button at the side. Although the original versions of these were stiff and not always reliable, it allowed players to play a far greater variety of games such as adventure games, arcade games and sports titles. The Plus/4 joystick pictured above is the only controller I own from the second generation although I have experienced the Atari 2600 and 2600 Jr. controllers also. Compared to those, the Plus/4 controller is a lot more responsive and reliable.

As for the controllers which featured numberpads, the best known of these are the Intellivision and Colecovision. Both of these had a 9 digit numberpad with a control knob at the top. This layout made certain games easier to play (having only one button does have its downsides), but most games of the era only required one button, so nine seemed superfluous.

(Left: NES Controller - 1983   Right: Master System Controller - 1985)

With the arrival of more complex games in the third generation came more complex controllers. The NES controller featured two action buttons, a d-pad and start and select buttons. Several games featured combinations of the two buttons and a direction to increase the amount of actions a player could achieve. The start button also made for a handy pausing tool, a function only seen before on the Atari 5200. Compared to the joysticks of the previous generation, and the controllers of today, these are very small.

The Master System controller is essentially an NES controller without a start or select. To pause a game on the Master System, the player must get up and press the button on the console itself which can prove difficult in the middle of an intense game such as Fantasy Zone. The only other major console controller in the third generation was the Atari 7800 which went back to the roots of the 2600 controller and featured a joystick with two buttons eitherside. While this could achieve the same results as the Master System controller, the rectangular options must have seemed more of a space age choice at the time.

(Top Left: Sega Mega Drive Controller - 1989, Bottom Left: Sega Mega Drive 6 Button Controller - 1989,
Right: SNES Controller - 1990)

The SNES and Mega Drive were the main focus of competition in the fourth generation, and for competing systems their controllers had far more differences than in the previous generation. Sega had decided to go with a 3 button approach, with a D-pad and start button, while Nintendo decided on a 4 button controller, with L and R shoulder buttons, D-pad and start/select buttons. With this giving the SNES controller 3 buttons more than the Mega Drive (4 if you count a select button), fighting games and anything else that required more than 3 buttons suffered on Mega Drive. A 6 button version of the controller was released, although it wasn't compatible with every title.

Other controllers released in the fourth generation included the Turbografx16 controller which was essentially the same as an NES controller with added autofires for both buttons, and the Neo Geo AES controller which gave players a full arcade style joystick with four buttons. The AES didn't enjoy much success due to its large price tag, but was a system which attempted to bring full arcade games to the home console market that gave gaming one of the most interesting controllers around.

(Left: Sony Playstation Controller - 1994,   Right: Nintendo 64 Controller - 1995)

With the fifth generation of video game consoles came even more variety; no two controllers of this era even resemble eachother. The two most classic designs are pictured above; the Sony Playstation controller which, with the addition of dual analog sticks later in its life has remained pretty much the same up until the modern day. Its four face button, four shoulder button, d-pad, start and select layout was inspired by the SNES controller (from the days Sony were going to partner with Nintendo to build the SNES CD). The Nintendo 64 controller is often derided for "being designed for people with three hands" but was the first controller to offer players a choice between using the d-pad and analog stick comfortably. Every controller in the next generation allowed players to do that, and so it's only fair to give credit to the N64 controller for that, as well as featuring camera control and extra functions with the yellow D-pad.

Sega's effort for the fifth generation was much like the 6 button controller for the Mega Drive with shoulder buttons. A later revision added an analog stick at the cost of the controller looking like a pancake. The 3DO controller was somewhat of a cross between the SNES and Mega Drive controllers, with 3 buttons, start and select and shoulder buttons, but with the console at $699.99 it didn't catch on. The final notable controller of the fifth generation is the Atari Jaguar which to my mind is probably the worst designed controller ever. Not content to choose between a 9 digit numberpad and a regular controller, Atari forced both into the design, making it a large, difficult to operate mess.

(Top Left: Nintendo Gamecube Controller - 2001, Top Right: Sega Dreamcast Controller - 1999
Bottom Left: Sony Playstation 2 Controller - 2000, Bottom Right: Microsoft Xbox Type S Controller - 2001)

Possibly the best known video game consoles, the sixth generation brought 4 main controllers with similar, but not indistinguishable designs together. The first to be released was that of the Dreamcast; featuring 4 face buttons, a left and right trigger, analog stick, d-pad and a start button, as well as somewhere to put a memory card. The concept of triggers on consoles may seem familiar to gamers now, but the Dreamcast was the first to show the way. Whether they were used for racing games, guarding in fighters or doing a Crazy Boost in Crazy Taxi, the triggers proved their worth as an addition. The PS2 controller had the least changes from the previous generation, in fact apart from being black it's hard to discern any changes save for a rumble feature. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

The Gamecube seems to have a much more standard design, when taking the N64 controller into account. The C-stick is the main defining feature, alongside new X and Y buttons and triggers which can also be used as buttons. Personally I find these to be a little awkward when compared to the simple triggers of the Dreamcast and Xbox, but with concepts like Super Mario Sunshine they work well. The final controller of the sixth generation is that of the Xbox. Originally a huge circular monstrosity, Microsoft quickly realised that it needed a redesign. The Type S controller integrates all of the features of the original controller, although the Xbox's only real bit of individuality are the white and black buttons.

(Left: Sony Playstation 3 Controller - 2006, Right: Nintendo Wii Controller - 2006)

The seventh generation of video games is possibly one of the strangest; the PS3 once again featured a very similar version of the previous generation's controller, this time with wireless capability and triggers instead of R2 and L2 shoulder buttons. The Xbox 360 also features a controller without much changed; removal of the white and black buttons, an Xbox button in the centre for online options and wireless capability seem to be the only modifications from the Type S.

The Wii introduced the world to motion control gaming with its revolutionary new controller. As can be seen from previous controllers, Nintendo weren't afraid to change things up a bit, and while everyone may have their opinion on the Wii and its games, the fact remains that the sensor bar is responsive and the first party games make good use of the Wiimote and Nunchuck. So much so in fact, that the Wii's sales inspired the Playstation Move and Xbox Kinect controllers which brought a sense of unity to gaming experiences in that whatever console you were playing, there was a motion control option for you.

So finally we come to the current generation; the WiiU is the only console I currently own but its controller is of extreme interest. I can't imagine what an NES gamer would have said, if you'd shown them this in 1985, but it'd have probably given them a heart attack. Featuring a large touchscreen, dual analog sticks, a d-pad, four face buttons, two bumper buttons and two shoulder buttons, +/- buttons, home, power and TV control as well as an accelerometer, camera, speakers, microphone and gyroscopic something or other, this is the most complex controller ever released. Some might say too complex, or too gimmicky, but the simple fact that this exists is amazing, especially in a time where the other major companies have released essentially the same controller for the past 3 generations.

The PS4 controller (which I've had a little go on) has been streamlined and is a slightly different shape to previous generations. With the start and select buttons renamed and moved up to the top of the controller, and a new touchpad, it retains most other features of the PS3 controller. The Xbox One controller appears to be the most similar to its previous iteration, this generation. There are changes but mostly subtle ones and I've not had a chance to try one out yet, so I can't say whether it's improved at all. Still, its amazing how far controllers have come in 20 years and with talk of this being the last console generation perhaps this is a definitive look at them.

(Top Left: Logitech Steering Wheel for PS2, Top Right: Joystick Controller for Gamecube
Bottom Left: Flight Stick for Sega Mega Drive, Bottom Right: Light Gun for Sega Dreamcast)

There have been many first and third party control accessories, some better than others and too many to even begin to describe. Light guns, steering wheels and joysticks are among the most common, but the PS1 and Dreamcast both got Fishing Rod controllers, and I'm sure there are even crazier add ons out there. My proudest Mega Drive achievement to date was completing Streets of Rage using only the Flight Stick above which took some doing. Personally unless a game requires an accessory, I'll use the controller but with systems such as the Wii, there's the possibility of using the controller as all kinds of things, so perhaps we'll see less accessories in future.

If you play any kind of video games you'll probably have a favourite controller, whether that's just because you're used to it, or it stands out above the rest with cutting edge features and design. Personally I'd have to list my top 5 controllers as follows;

1. Playstation 2  - Classic and in my view, the best of the Playstation controllers
2. Wii                - Responsive and the first console to really get the motion controls right
3. Dreamcast     - With good triggers, and a place for your memory card, this is a solid controller.
4. Nintendo 64  - Classic design, which works well for most N64 games
5. WiiU             - Tons of features, including being a remote for your TV and console

I'd be interested to hear what your favourite controllers are, and why. Feel free to disagree, but be glad that you've had the choice of so many. After all we could be stuck in 1972 twiddling knobs and keeping our own scores.

Game Review: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (PS1)

Game: Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone
Console: Sony Playstation
Developer: Argonaut Games
Release Date: 15th November 2001

If you're a frequent visitor to my blog, you may notice that I reviewed a game of the same title as this for Game Boy Colour recently. Having done a little research whilst reviewing that game, it came to my attention that there are four different versions of this title. The Game Boy Colour, Advance and PS1 games came out alongside the film in 2001 and were three completely different titles in gameplay and in many parts of the story. In 2003 remakes of the PS1 game followed with vastly changed gameplay for PS2, Xbox and Gamecube. I intend to play each of the versions of this game in an effort to assess which approach worked best and highlight EA Games laziness as a producer to license out the game to 4 different companies to make.

Having started with the Game Boy Colour game which follows the plot of the film almost perfectly, I expected the PS1 version to do basically the same but in a simple 3D setting. Upon starting the game, there's some narrated story which skips along to at least page 91 of the 223 page  book. There's no letters from Hogwarts, no shopping in Diagon Alley and no Hogwarts Express. I understand the limitations of the PS1 but when playing a licensed game based on a film, much of the enjoyment comes from being able to re-enact scenes from the film. In keeping with completely ignoring most of the content of the book and film, only 3 or 4 of the things you're asked to do in the entire game feature in the book or film.

The game itself is incredibly short and it only took around 5 hours to complete. You're thrown from one mission to the next without much time to think, and the action appears to take place over the course of a single day, as Harry doesn't sleep at all and there's no indication of any time passing. Originally I was going to list all of the inaccuracies between the game and film/book but by the end of it I'd lost count. This isn't to say that it needed to be completely accurate to be enjoyable, but resembling the film that it's based on would have been an advantage.

The controls aren't too bad; the analog stick is used to move, R1 to target and X casts a spell while the triangle button is used to look around and free aim. More complex spells can involve button pressing minigames on which the timing can be severely off in some instances. Moving around the castle isn't too difficult as long as you're not required to jump, as this is handled much like in Zelda games; when Harry reaches a ledge, and the player is still pressing in the direction of the gap, he will jump. Unlike Zelda games though, the game decides not to jump sometimes and sends Harry to his death.

Most of the tasks that Harry is required to do require either simple platforming, use of his spells, some puzzle logic, or a combination of the three. With the aforementioned jumping problem, the missions where Harry must get to class on time, or race Peeves become much more frustrating. The game seems to guide players through the easiest parts of it and leave them to work out what to do in harder parts, which can also be a source of annoyance.

The final mission of the game follows the basic story of both the book and film, and makes the best use of the controls and gameplay styles. Personally I found this to be the most enjoyable part of the game besides Quidditch which plays like a flying minigame where Harry navigates through rings until the game allows him to reach out and catch the Snitch. Although it could have been less repetitive there are no major problems with the Quidditch part of the game, and there's even a standalone mode for it.

Graphically, the game's textures are very low resolution and the faces of characters are almost unrecognisable at times. It can be difficult to see where to go due to the poor graphics, in platforming challenges. With different voice actors to the film, it's hard to imagine the characters as who they're supposed to be too. The music of the game is fairly enjoyable, it seems to be mainly orchestrated versions of the Game Boy Colour soundtrack.

Overall with little resemblance to the film or book, unsatisfying platforming stages, and collectables which are so well hidden that I went through the entire game without even finding one, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for PS1 should be well avoided. If you've read the book or seen the film you'll be shouting at the TV to correct the game's continuity errors and if you haven't you'll be thoroughly confused as to what's even going on, as it's not well explained at all.

Rating: 39/100
Grade: E

Game Review: Grand Theft Auto IV

Game: Grand Theft Auto IV
Console: Sony Playstation 3
Developer: Rockstar
Release Date: 29th April 2008

This should technically be Part 4 of my Grand Theft Auto series review, but as with San Andreas I feel that this game has such a large scale and choice of things to do that it's only fair to give it it's own review. The first main series installment since San Andreas, IV is set in Liberty City which is based on New York, complete with its own "Statue Of Happiness" and other famous landmarks. Just like other games in the series you're set a series of missions which see you transform from a low status thug to a rich (former) gangster.

New additions since San Andreas include a phone and internet system through which you get most (if not all) of your missions. Acquaintances will ring and ask to hang out as well as giving you missions by phone, and the internet is used to set up appointments, dates and to make a couple of missions easier. Police now have a search area, outside of which you're able to escape from them. The more stars you attain, the larger the search area is and the more force the police will use to arrest you. There's also a new subway system and a lot of interiors which can be accessed without a loading screen popping up.

The story follows Niko Bellic, an Eastern European immigrant who has been told of the wonders of America by his cousin, Roman. Upon arriving he finds that not everything he has been told is true and has to work for various small time gangsters and friends in order to find someone from his past, who betrayed him. The storyline itself can seem to drag on during the middle parts with 88 storyline missions in total, however the two endings are worth getting to.

Controlwise, the game is similar to other titles in the GTA series; shooting features a lock-on mode (although this can be disabled) and there are a selection of weapons available including pistols, shotguns, rocket launchers and grenades. Driving is slightly different with acceleration and braking set to the R2 and L2 triggers. The viewpoint whilst driving and handling of the vehicles are both very different to previous games and take a lot of getting used to. Missions which involve driving and shooting at the same time are extremely difficult due to the controls.

Most missions get the player to drive somewhere, shoot something or a combination of the two, but the most impressive missions in this game are those which think a little outside of the box. There's a mission where you're asked to set up a job interview via the internet and then kill the interviewer, as that's the only way to get to such a busy businessman. There's another mission where you're allowed to execute someone Hitman style and change into doctor's clothes to turn the life support machine off. These, along with a few other selected missions (including the complex final missions for each storyline) redeem the mostly typical GTA style ones.

The police don't seem to be as concerned with arresting you as in other games from the series, as I managed to complete the game without ever being busted. Instead, I was killed quite a few times by the police even with a simple two star wanted level. Luckily as a new addition, hospitals don't take away your weapons unlike police stations, so I was able to hold onto my best ones. It did seem a little unrealistic to have such violent police though, especially with other areas of the game focussing on realism.

At a few key points in the plot, the player is given moral choices to make such as choosing whether or not to kill a particular enemy or who to kill out of two choices. While these do give slightly different results, only the final decision matters particularly in terms of gameplay and missions. These decisions seem to enrich the characters and plot, however and you feel as if you are really in control of Niko and his actions.

One new system which was only used once in the game is the ability to throw objects, such as bricks. This could have been incorporated into more than one mission and perhaps used as a way to deal with enemies from above. The cover based shooting system in the game is used quite a bit throughout the missions, and for the most part it works well. A lot of enemies also use the same type of movements and so things can get into a bit of a stalemate at times, but the only real problems are when Niko won't get behind cover, or comes out of it without the player meaning for him to.

A minor addition to the driving experience in the game is the GPS system which shows you the fastest legal route to waypoints and mission locations. This can help immensely when you want to travel between islands as there's no confusion as to where to go. Also added since San Andreas is the ability to hang out with friends and acquaintances. They'll call you from time to time and ask if you want to go bowling/drinking/for a meal etc. and through becoming friends you can use their special skills. Roman for instance owns a taxi service which can take you anywhere for free, once he likes you enough.

The final minor addition to gameplay is the hand to hand combat system which now includes the option to block and kick as well as push your opponents to the ground or down a flight of stairs. Whilst targeting them, the player also may counter an attack if their timing is good enough. This adds more realism and difficulty to street fights as previously they were fairly one sided. Of course this system isn't handy for long as weapons make fair more efficient killing machines.

Graphically the game is much improved from San Andreas and the "Stories" sidegames as you'd expect with the move to seventh generation consoles. There's a lot of detail on almost all of the locations, vehicles and people in the city. My only real complaint is the amount of grey that is used in the city's colours; sometimes it can feel like a very large, dreary place. The sound in the game is fantastic with superb voice acting and effects; explosions and gunfire sound pretty much spot on. The in-game radio also offers a large selection of genres and music with some notable highlights.

Overall GTA IV is a highly enjoyable and engaging experience with many highlights and good new features. Although the driving feels a little off at times, some missions near the end can feel extremely demanding and the city is grey and not as much fun to explore as the areas of San Andreas, there's still plenty to enjoy. With deeper characters than ever before, far more interactivity between the player and them, and a stellar storyline this game only really falls short of San Andreas on location and the ability to fly fixed wing aircraft.

Rating: 87/100
Grade: B

NES Puzzle Game Double Header: Dr. Mario and Clu Clu Land

Game: Dr. Mario
Console: Nintendo Entertainment System
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: 27th July 1990

Having grown tired of plumbing, Mario decided to try his hand at being a doctor (despite an obvious lack of qualification) in 1990. The aim of this puzzle game is to eliminate viruses by lining up rows of 4 pixels of the same colour, as Mario tosses pills down into the gameplay area for the player to position. Available options on the menu screen include the number of viruses onscreen at the start of the level, the speed of the game and the type of music played.

Although a lot of puzzle game have elements similar to that of Dr. Mario, it has enough unique gameplay elements to be distinct. Gameplay is simple as all the player controls is the movement and rotation of the pills being thrown by Mario into the play area. Unlike like Tetris, Dr. Mario does not feature naive gravity when blocks disappear which means that blocks overhanging a drop will fall once disconnected from their other half.

Once the player clears a level of all viruses, they move onto the next level which has more viruses. When there are a lot of viruses on screen, gameplay requires more strategy as to the placing of pills and letting blocks drop after making a successful block of 4 same coloured squares. While there's not a lot more to the game than progressing through the levels, the concept is fun and engaging with a decent difficulty curve between levels.

Graphically the game is nicely stylised and looks for the NES era, with a fairly detailed sprite of Mario throwing the pills and well animated viruses under the magnifying glass. Although there are only two songs to accompany gameplay, both are catchy and of good quality. Overall Dr. Mario is a great concept for a puzzle game, which perhaps didn't need to feature Mario and only really has one play mode, but plays nicely nonetheless. I wish I could give the game a higher score as the only real drawback is the limited amount of gameplay it offers, however this impacts quite heavily on its replayability and comparison of the game to more modern titles.

Rating: 46/100
Grade: D

Game: Clu Clu Land
Console: Nintendo Entertainment System
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: October 1985

Five years before Dr. Mario hit the shelves, a puzzle game based on uncovering shapes made out of coins with a hero named Bubbles, that the player controls. It's only possible to turn using turning posts on the screen, between which the coins appear when the gaps are passed through. There are also enemies onscreen called Unira, which can be neutralised by a sound wave from Bubbles and then pushed to the edge of the screen to score points.

Once all of the coins in a level have been uncovered, that level is complete and the player may move onto the next. As the levels progress some coins take two trips to uncover and rebury themselves if passed over multiple times. This increases the difficulty without changing the gameplay too much. Although it can be difficult to work out what shapes the coins are making unless you've uncovered most of them or played the game before, it's easy to uncover them randomly until you have a clearer idea of what shape is being made.

Graphically the game features basic sprites and shapes for everything it portrays and although its usually easy to see what's going on, a little more detail would help in recognising the shapes. In terms of sound there's not a large selection of music to accompany gameplay, but the main theme is lively works well with the game. Controlwise, once players get the hang of using the sound wave to attack, and swinging around the turning posts there's not too much to fault.

Overall Clu Clu Land is a simple puzzle game with an interesting concept and gameplay. While it can be difficult to make out the shapes featured in the game and get used to the control system, the difficulty increases in a timely fashion and it's impressive for the time of its release. As with Dr. Mario, the game's main fault is the lack of replayability and different gameplay modes. There is however a two player option in Clu Clu Land which plays similarly to one player mode for both participants.

Rating: 42/100
Grade: E

Game Review: Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone (GBC)

Game: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Console: Game Boy Colour
Developer: Griptonite Games
Release Date: November 2001

While there were Xbox, PS2, Gamecube and PS1 games based on the first book/movie in the Harry Potter series, it's interesting to look at a handheld version. Although there was a release on the Game Boy Advance, I'll be looking at the Game Boy Colour version as that's the one I owned as a child. If my recollections are correct, not only was this the first game I ever bought with my own money but I also have a savefile with 67 hours of gameplay on it and Harry at level 99. That's not to say that this is an amazing game by any standards, it's more of an indication that I didn't have very many games to choose from as a child.

The story of the game is based on the events of the first book/film in the Harry Potter chronology with some slight changes so that certain game mechanics work better. The gameplay itself is in the style of an RPG with battles occuring regularly and 24 quests which guide Harry through the story to its conclusion. Although the set story makes for quite a linear experience, there's still room for some exploration of the fantasy world with collectables and secrets scattered around the map.

Quests are usually fairly simple and obvious when given to the player; not only will important characters tell them what needs to be achieved, the current objective appears on the start menu and NPC's will give hints as to what must be done. A lot of the gameplay involves travelling around Hogwarts and completing objectives by defeating bosses or retrieving items. In the 7 lesson based quests, the gameplay resembles that of a minigame with tests of memory, fetch quests and a broom flight minigame which appears a few times throughout the game.

Battles are conducted in typical RPG style save for the fact that the players appear on the right with the enemy on the left side of the screen. Harry is able to use spells as well as items and card combinations to defeat enemies, and levels up as he progresses through the game. Upon completion of the game, Harry retains his level and the enemies are pegged to his ability when a new game is started.

For an RPG the game is rather short and whole months pass between in-game events where a calendar is shown to signify the passing of time. While nothing happens plotwise in these periods it does rather feel as if the game is rushing you onwards toward completion. The money is somewhat incidental after a certain point in the game and there's not a whole lot of things to buy. There's a loose strength/weakness system with spells and enemies but it's never completely explained so it's up to players to guess as to what spells will work well.

Harry travels somewhat slowly on foot and this can be irritating when moving up and down the seven floors of Hogwarts (although there are secret passages which can be used as shortcuts). Enemy battles appear as blue creatures which move about on screen; when Harry touches these then a battle is initiated. Sometimes these appear fairly unexpectedly in your path and slow your progress down.

Graphically the game somewhat resembles NES era RPG games with basic sprites and animations. Buildings and interiors look good and even accurate to the books at times. There's never any difficulty in telling character sprites from one another; in fact the only time I had a hard time seeing things was in the night time quests as the Game Boy Colour screen isn't particularly bright. Musically there's a variety of themes and sound effects used in the game, which are generally of good quality.

Overall this is a somewhat simple RPG style Game Boy Colour game which works well to incorporate the story of the first Harry Potter book. Battles are easy to understand and there's not many times where grinding is necessary. It's a shame that party members aren't allowed to battle alongside you at any point in the game however. I'd recommend this to hardcore fans of the Harry Potter series as an interesting relic, but it falls a little short as a game in a general sense.

Rating: 73/100
Grade: C

Game Review: Rampage: Total Destruction

Game: Rampage: Total Destruction
Console: Nintendo Wii
Developer: Midway
Release Date: 9th February 2007

The first entry in the Rampage series dates back to 1986 with the much ported "Rampage" arcade game by Bally Midway. Although basic in idea and graphics, the game found its way onto NES, Commodore 64, Atari 2600, Master System, Atari ST and more. The basic idea of the game was to control a mutated creature on a rampage through cities, razing buildings to the ground to continue onto the next location and defending yourself from the onslaught of military gunfire attempting to pacify your monster.

After an 11 year wait, a sequel; Rampage World Tour was released in arcades and for fifth generation consoles. Gameplay was much the same as the original with improved features, controls and graphics. The overall experience was better than that of the first game and it generally felt more polished and fun. Both the original and sequel are included on the Total Destruction disk alongside the new game and are the inspiration for most if not all of the gameplay features of the game.

There are 8 cities featured in Total Destruction, within which players are tasked with destroying all of the houses in a block before moving onto the next. There are 10 blocks in each city, including a boss which doesn't necessarily have to be defeated in the final block of each city. Gameplay is incredibly repetitive from block to block as it had been in previous games; the monsters attack each building in sight until it falls down, taking anything helpful from inside (including humans) and eating it.

Controlwise on the Wii, not only is the game tiring but there's not a lot of effective ways of making buildings crash to the ground. Where players could rely more on their creature's fists and kicks before, it's almost always necessary to get atop a building and smash it until it can no longer stand. In order to do this, players have to move the controller from a vertical position to a horizontal one quickly around 20-30 times for each building.

Although 8 different cities are featured, all that really changes between them is the traffic and types of buildings you'll find. This repetition is true for the selection of monsters and modes also; although there's 40 monsters to choose from and they all have slightly differing stats, there's not really a difference between any of them when playing. As for the modes, there's competitive multiplayer and the option to play the main mode with up to three players but no variations of the gameplay mechanics, in every mode you simply destroy the city.

If certain objectives are completed in the main mode, players can gain upgrades for the monster they're playing as with a total of 5 different upgrades available for each one. Although these are interesting additions to the gameplay, only 1 or 2 of them are actually useful and because they don't carry over from monster to monster, collecting them all would require the player to pass 200 objectives in what is already a repetitive game.

Graphically the game is an obvious progression from both the arcade original and its sequel, although that isn't surprising considering the amount of time between them. It's fairly easy to see what you're doing in game but I wouldn't say that they're particularly advanced for the time. The musical accompaniment to gameplay is what seems to be an instrumental version of "Blitzkrieg Bop" by the Ramones shuffled around a little to escape copyright laws.

Rampage: Total Destruction definitely continues the trend of improving the graphics with each installment and adding new features. The inclusion of the two older games on the disk does give a little more enjoyment to the experience as a whole, but I won't be giving this game any extra points for that. Unlocking all of the characters and skills would take far more patience and playing of the game than I would be able to stand. Overall it's a bland and repetitive experience which holds some destructive fun for first time players but not a whole lot else.

Rating: 46/100
Grade: D

Genre Review: Wrestling Games (Part 1)

Although I've not got every wrestling game ever released, I seem to have amassed a fair few to review for the original Playstation and Playstation 2. These games provide a way for fans of the sport to set up their own dream matches and events and play as their favourite "superstars". Character rosters, customisability, match types and options and controls are all important factors of wrestling games as they determine a lot of a game's overall worth. I'll be reviewing the games I have in chronological order, especially as the last four have years attached to their names.

Game: WCW Mayhem
Console: Sony Playstation
Developer: EA Sports
Release Date: 31st August 1999

If you were to ask me what the worst wrestling game I've ever played is, I'd be pointing you toward this title. Even taking into account that it's the oldest wrestling game that I own, it comes up short in many key aspects of gameplay and general game design. The game's main mode is called Quest for the Best and it involves fighting 5 opponents of higher rank to win a title. Doing so may unlock other wrestlers depending on who the player chooses to fight as and the difficulty selected.

Fights themselves are tedious and downright frustrating; the hit detection is off and sometimes your attacks go right through the opponent, the camera angle makes it difficult to see where you're attacking in the ring, there are only about 10 moves available to each wrestler including finishers, and the momentum system for determining whether a pin will hold for a three count is unpredictable and generally offputting.

Controlwise the game is a nightmare; if there are multiple opponents in the ring, you're only allowed to target one at a time and switching between them is difficult. Even if there's only one opponent in the ring with you, it hardly feels like you're in control of your wrestler as they'll do random attacks most of the time. To win a fight, you need to get your momentum bar up to full or the opponents down to empty. Once this has been done you may attempt to pin them for the win.

The game sometimes freezes during player entrances and almost always after a match has been won or lost. This seems like bad design and it's annoying to have to reset the console after every match. Although there's a fair selection of wrestlers, a lot of them need unlocking via satisfying conditions upon completing Quest for the Best. There's a small choice of match options for a single match, and fairly extensive customisation options in Create-A-Wrestler mode.

Graphically the game is poor as wrestlers look bulky and the crowd look like a flat surface. Facial features are hardly recognisable and some writing onstage can be so pixellated that its difficult to read at times. The commentary is sparse and when the announcers do say things they're either late or irrelevant. There's hardly anything impressive for 1999 in the game considering it was out 9 days before the release of the Dreamcast.

Overall this game suffers equally from poor controls, graphics, sound and programming. A lot of its features are made unenjoyable by long load times and the game freezing up all too often. The most fun that can be had is creating an invisible wrestler and making it look like the opponent is being beaten up by a demon by button mashing. Otherwise though, there's not a lot that can be done with this game at all.

Rating: 16/100
Grade: F

Game: Smackdown! 2: Know Your Role
Console: Sony Playstation
Developer: Yuke's
Release Date: 1st December 2000

Proving that it's possible to make a much better wrestling game on PS1 than WCW Mayhem, this game takes over 50 WWF (at the time) superstars and allows you to pit them against eachother in a vast selection of match types. There's also modes to create your own wrestler, PPV, stage, moves and taunts. Although I haven't played the first installment in this series, it feels like the first wrestling game which gets close to delivering the action and excitement of the actual show.

In Season Mode, players guide a chosen wrestler through their matches and encounter different storylines and feuds as they progress. Although most of the cutscenes and matches are basic, it gives the true feel of being a professional wrestler week in, week out. Unfortunately players are made to skip through (or even watch) every match on the event card before theirs, which can take quite some time and seems to be completely unnecessary.

Although there aren't a huge amount of attacking options, this game outclasses WCW Mayhem with good hit detection and sensible controls. Once players have landed enough attacks, they store a finishing move which they can unleash when in the right position to do so. Pins are usually able to be landed after successfully performing a finishing move, and KO's are available in some match types. It can get a little chaotic in the ring with multiple wrestlers, but with a maximum of four at any one time it's not overly confusing.

Also included in the game is the option to play single matches, with many different types included such as Hardcore, Cage, Casket, Hell in a Cell, Tables and Iron Man. With all of the wrestlers on offer in the game, in addition to the ability to create your own any match you can think up is possible in this mode. The create modes are a good addition also and contain a fairly large amount of options for players to customise to their liking.

Graphically the game is pretty good with wrestlers almost looking like their real life counterparts in a lot of cases. Entrances contain the real videos for the chosen wrestler which beats WCW Mayhem's entrances hands down. There's no commentary featured in this game; instead we're given a fast paced and heavy soundtrack which works well with the action and in my opinion is better than including a low quality commentary on matches anyway.

Overall Smackdown! 2 isn't perfect; load times are long and almost everything incurs some sort of loading screen, making progress through Season Mode almost tiresome. The matches and customisability of the game are huge strong points as they're very enjoyable and having a lot of licensed superstars helps to add to the feel of emulating the show itself. Still fun to play now, it was probably even more so back in the days of its release.

Rating: 66/100
Grade: C

Game: Smackdown!: Shut Your Mouth
Console: Sony Playstation 2
Developer: Yuke's
Release Date: 31st October 2002

The second game in the series to be on Playstation 2, Shut Your Mouth used ideas and controls from the earlier games and improved them to craft a far more realistic wrestling experience than in previous titles. Featuring a large cast of wrestlers with a few as unlockables, an improved season mode, full entrances and commentary this is certainly a step up from the PS1 days.

Season mode has simple but engaging story lines where the player can choose certain options toward becoming a champion at PPV events. Winning at these events also unlocks features such as parts for create-a-wrestler, outfits for superstars and bonus movie clips. While other events still have to be skipped through to get to your own matches, they're much easier to skip through than before. Small cutscenes have also been added which can get a little tedious if you're more focused on the gameplay.

In terms of controls matches are very similar to those of Smackdown! 2. The X button is used for strikes, Circle for grapple moves, Square to reverse and Triangle to run. Wrestlers build up momentum from landing moves and once enough has been received a finishing move is stored up to a maximum of 5. The momentum meter fills much faster than before and overall matches seem far easier to win against the CPU. There's a greater variety of moves and the ability to edit them for each wrestler also.

Create-A-Wrestler mode has a strange layout with a lot of menus and submenus. So much so that I'm not sure whether you can choose clothes for your created wrestler to wear; I couldn't find the option to clothe them anyway. There's a lot of choice in terms of their physique and body parts but overall it doesn't feel like you have a huge amount of options. The amount of match types available to players is quite impressive, although many were included in previous installments also.

Graphically, Shut Your Mouth sees a marked improvement from Smackdown! 2 in that the character models are much less blurry and hard to make out. While it's not perfect it does look almost like the start of the later era graphics. Soundwise the game is strange as it features commentary as well as music over matches, creating a difficulty in hearing the announcers. Cutscenes aren't voiced and text is displayed below the action.

Overall the game feels like a big leap forward despite there still being various issues with it. Long load times for short cutscenes, incompetent AI and a few other minor issues don't outweigh the fact that the is the first time in the series where it feels like you're in complete control of your wrestler. Although the create-a-wrestler mode feels a little subpar the amount of included superstars almost makes up for this.

Rating: 72/100
Grade: C

In the next part I'll be looking at four years worth of games with Smackdown! vs Raw 2006-9 to see how far the series progresses, and whether yearly installments help or hinder the series.

Game Review: Dead Island

Game: Dead Island
Console: Sony Playstation 3
Developer: Techland
Release Date: 6th September 2011

Another entry into the zombie genre which seems to be a little overpopulated recently, Dead Island includes elements of survival horror, a weapon customisation system, the option to play story mode with four LAN players and an RPG style level up system where players can choose which upgrades are made to their stats. The story of the game is almost central to the gameplay, with the player being given quests by survivors of the virus outbreak to assist them in their survival.

Alongside the main quest path there are sidequests which don't need to be attempted but can provide cash, experience and weapons to aid the player in their main quest. Some of the sidequests are a little ridiculous such as collecting teddy bears or champagne for particularly unconcerned survivors. Mostly though, the quests involve getting rid of zombies from places or fixing things to aid a chance at escaping.

In the game there are several types of zombies which the player will encounter. The most common types are Infected which act like those from 28 Days Later, running quickly towards the player to attack and Walkers who amble slowly towards the player but can be deadly in large groups. Added to these are Thugs who are essentially larger, more powerful walkers, Rams, as pictured above, Suiciders which explode when the player gets close enough, Floaters who spit poisonous liquid and Butchers which are essentially Infected with weapons for hands.

The controls are well laid out and weapons are easy to wield and throw, there's a powerful kick available to the player and you're able to upgrade your selected player to stomp the heads of zombies in order to kill them faster. There's a stamina bar which limits the amount of consecutive attacks a player can launch, and each selectable character has a special 'rage mode' which can help to cut through hordes of zombies.

There are various weapons available in the game, most of them melee style blunt or sharp weapons such as baseball bats, wrenches and machetes but there are also firearms available to the player with limited ammo. Vehicles can be used to run over zombies too and there's also fire based weapons such a molotovs available to players. To further increase the weapon selection there are modification blueprints hidden about the map which allow players to customise their existing weapons into ultra-powerful destructive machines.

When melee weapons are used in battle, they lose durability and need repairing at workbenches throughout the map to be effective. All weapons have their own stats based on the current level of the player, which decrease if they become too damaged. All of this means that players must be careful with how much they use their best weapons and need to keep a stock of weapons in good condition on them at all times.

The gameplay is generally similar to most survival horror games, in that play alternates between 'safe' areas and areas infested with zombies. It's possible to evade most types of zombie by running past them, and in escort missions and other types of quest this can be advisable. While there's not a truly limited amount of weapons in the game, the damage system works well and there's still a fair amount of difficulty in getting through hordes unscathed.

The story is good in most places, becoming a little anticlimactic at the end of the game in a lot of ways. It's also affected by the game's strong suggestion that you play with others online in co-op style. If you play alone you'll only see your player when you have control of them but in cutscenes, all four selectable players are present and it tends to challenge the immersion somewhat. It's a shame they couldn't have rendered different cutscenes based on who was selected and/or playing at the time.

Graphically the game is impressive in its location design and both the tropical island of Banoi and indoor locations on the island look very good. Sometimes the textures will noticeably take a moment to load onto the walls, and there's clipping at times if zombies are waiting behind a closed door. In terms of sound, the zombies retain a fairly scary roar throughout the game, and this helps to create a legitimate horror feel. At times the sound stops and starts if there's a lot of things going on, but it's not enough to ruin the immersion of the game as a whole.

Overall Dead Island is a lot of fun to play with plenty of replayability due to its level upgrade system and weapons customisation. Killing zombies is satisfying and can be done in many different ways. At times the number of quests you're given can seem overwhelming but you're always told which are relevant to the main plot and which aren't. It's a shame that the story isn't quite as believable as it could be, although it does attempt to be moving at times. As a zombie themed survival horror game this does pretty nicely, but I wouldn't put it above the true classics.

Rating: 81/100
Grade: B