Welcome to the start of brand new, honest to Grud 2016 60 Second Gamer! We start with perhaps a less well known game, Crash N Burn. This was published by Eidos on the PS2 way back in 2004. In many ways it’s a Burnout clone. There’s fast paced racing action, lots of crashing and plenty of carnage.
And yet, it fails to live up to the standards of that franchise. The cars have overly heavy handling, for starters. What should feel like you’re barrelling around the track is instead sluggish and undercooked. The same goes for the progression system. There may be plenty of upgrades to unlock but, unlike that other racing game series, you have to achieve first place multiple times over to unlock further tracks or race types. To say that the game’s AI is occasionally unfair to you, cruelly preventing you from what would have otherwise been an easy victory, would be an understatement. But then for some there’s fun to be had from this challenge.
Plus, there’s only the option for single player racing offline, with the multiplayer aspect of the game limited to online only. These days you’re unlikely to see any action at all – and that’s assuming you’re able to connect to the service. Even a simple two player offline mode would have made all the difference and increased the game’s longevity. Sadly that is not the case.
On a more positive note, there are plenty of game modes available… if you play online. Ignoring that little issue, and the difficulties with progression, the gameplay is otherwise solid, but not spectacular.
Click below for our video review. If you also want to subscribe or check out our other videos, it would be much appreciated.
You’ll notice that there isn’t a podcast for this episode. That was for the old run only and we have no plans to continue them in 2016. But, if we’re asked to continue them, then we will. Drop us an email or leave a comment on our YouTube channel.
See you back here in seven for another new episode.
Sherlock Holmes VS Jack The Ripper takes the real world Ripper murders from 19th century London and places Sherlock Holmes and John Watson on the killer’s heels. Running around London inspecting clues and murder scenes, your job is to solve once and for all the identity of one of history’s most notorious serial killers. You’re like a Victorian era Batman and Robin.
Our video review is below, along with a podcast where we discuss the game in slightly more detail. See the links at the bottom of this post for more. If you want you can even subscribe to our RSS feed.
So, what about the game? Should you be playing it?
If this had solely been a PC release then there wouldn’t be too much to complain about. The point and click puzzle solving is inherently better with a mouse and keyboard, and is far less frustrating than it is elsewhere. The story moves along at a decent pace, albeit packed with lengthy talking head cut scenes (thankfully skippable), and some of the puzzles are enjoyably gruesome.
You could even overlook the fact it’s so horribly dark at times (literally) that you can’t see where you’re going. Something you can forgive because on the whole it’s an enjoyable romp through Victorian London.
But then they decided to port it to the Xbox 360, didn’t they?
This is a move that doesn’t work. At all. Controls haven’t been mapped properly, first and foremost. Almost every task becomes a chore on the 360 pad, especially the tasks that require the flexibility that you’d get on a PC.
This episode marks the last of our old style reviews that were left in the archive. As of 12 February 2016 there will be a brand new episode every week, featuring an updated style and approach.
But what will it be? You’ll have to come back in 7 days to find out.
Until then, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube and across social media.
Or, if you know your way around an RSS feed (and who doesn’t these days?), you can access and subscribe to the full 60 Second Gamer podcast feed by clicking here.
Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends. We’re so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside.
Right, that’s enough of Emerson, Lake and Palmer. This is 60 Second Retro Gamer Episode 67. The review? Why, it’s that classic (ahem…) Driven, based on the film of the same name starring Sylvester Stallone. Hands up if you’d heard of the film before? Yes, exactly.
Driven is your standard racing game with added “Focus” mode, where all other noise fades away and all you can hear is the whistle of the wind. Quite a therapeutic moment within the game, although it handles terribly. Not exactly great when the whole point of this type of game is to make you feel like you’re driving a finely tuned racing car. Must. Try. Harder.
Still, at least there is Greg Proops providing a bit of story content through voiceover and rather odd animated cutscenes. It didn’t fill us with confidence, and it is, ultimately, a disappointment.
This episode marks the last in our run of “original” 60 Second Retro Gamer episodes which we began in 2009. We’re still covering mostly retro content in the reboot, but it will all be under the one “60 Second Gamer” brand from now on. There’s one more old style 60SG coming next week, in readiness of the relaunch from 12 February. Exciting, isn’t it? Much more so than Driven, let’s be honest.
As was the norm for these old episodes, there is also a podcast available below the video. You can stream it through the website, or you can download it. Take your pick, we won’t judge you.
Or, if you know how RSS feeds work, access the full 60 Second Gamer podcast feed by clicking here.
This week’s blast from the past is Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 3 on the Gamecube. Rebel Strike was released at the tail end of 2003 in the middle of the console’s run, and proved to be another solid entry in the world of Star Wars video games. Solid, but not spectacular.
Some may have appreciated the on-foot sections, but sadly we’re not in that camp. It feels painful to play and is very much like a science fiction edition of Driver 3 as you jump out of your X-Wing and attack Stormtroopers. We’re not entirely convinced they work. The player handling is Thankfully though the ship combat is still as robust as ever, and the Gamecube’s solid 60Hz output mode gives everything a distinct movie quality.
The story weaves in and out of the original trilogy, taking in such fan favourites as the Battle of Hoth and Endor, while exploring a few new systems along the way. The Hoth and Endor stuff might be overplayed these days, but back then it was still a genuine delight to take part in these battles. And, going back to play it again, still provide good entertainment despite the obligatory on-foot moments.
Quite coincidentally, this episode is number 66 of the original 60SG run. For those who aren’t aware (or don’t care that much), Order 66 is quite an important part of the Star Wars lore. With any luck this episode won’t suffer the same fate as the Jedi Order.
The podcast can be streamed below the video, and there’s a download link for you too if you want to take it away on your travels.
Or, if you know how RSS feeds work, access the full 60 Second Gamer podcast feed by clicking here.
It seems that most developers just can’t get licensed tie-in games right. Such is the case with Underworld The Eternal War. Only released on the PS2 and not made available in the US, we can say with honesty that you’re not missing much at all.
Aside from the incredibly linear gameplay, textures are poor and gunplay is disappointing to say the least. Still, if you have the cheat codes available you do at least have the option to transform yourself into a chicken. I’m sure given the opportunity that’s something we would all enjoy. Perhaps.
Our review is in the video below, accompanied by a podcast which was recorded alongside the video and sketch back in 2012. You can play it via the website, or alternatively download a copy to your computer or mobile device.
Remember, brand new 60 Second Gamer videos will be available from 12 February 2016. Set a reminder!
Or, if you know how RSS feeds work, access the full 60 Second Gamer podcast feed by clicking here.
Back in 2012 we captured gameplay for a Playstation Move game called Start The Party. This was originally intended to be a normal 60 second review with a podcast on the side. Then the project fell by the wayside and both the footage and podcast lay dormant on Simon’s computer for three years.
Then in late 2014 it was decided to bring the series back with a fresh look and approach. On tidying up his old files, Simon realised that there were four full episodes that could be edited together, along with the podcast and game footage for Start The Party. As we have previously put together visual podcasts for Paddington and The Bible Game (both on PS2) it made sense to do the same with Start The Party.
This marks the first release of new material for 60 Second Gamer since 2012, and its regular return to your YouTube schedule throughout 2016. As stated in earlier posts, we’ll be working through the remaining 2012 content throughout January and early February, then brand new content will be released from 12 February 2016.
In any case, we hope you enjoy the “new” video, and we’d appreciate any comments you might have.
Yes, 60 Second Gamer will be back on your computers and mobile devices from 08 January 2016 onwards!
As if to prove the point, we released a teaser trailer stating as much yesterday. It’s short and to the point, but that’s what teasers are for, right?
It’s worth pointing out at this time that the first 5 videos we’re releasing were originally recorded back in 2012 and are now appearing on YouTube for the sake of getting all of the material we recorded out into the world. They are in no way a reflection of the actual reboot which will be kicking off from 12 February 2016. But more on that later.
While we backfill the website with the old content (videos and podcasts) you can still access the videos on our YouTube channel.
Check back next Friday for the first new video in 3.5 years. No pressure, then.
Hello to anybody and everybody that might see this! Just in case you thought the site was a little sparse at the moment, I’m in the middle of relinking all the podcasts and videos on YouTube so it’ll fill out again over the coming weeks.
Until then, note that new material is on its way, and I genuinely mean it this time – there are five videos scheduled for release throughout January as I type this.
Meanwhile there are updates on the way at my writing website. Head over to simonprior.com (and maybe even bookmark it) as there will be film reviews and short stories aplenty throughout 2016.
And finally – have a happy new year, you lovely, lovely people!
I’ve always been a fan of the Wayne’s World movies. They’re infinitely quotable, have a surreal undercurrent in the same style as Airplane and they feature some rather good musicians. I should never be surprised at finding out that another popular licence has received a video game tie-in, but seriously – how does Wayne’s World translate to a video game?
This is another retro title that I played briefly back in the early 90s. We never owned it, so our only opportunity to play it was when my uncle visited. A typical night’s gaming would be a couple of matches on the first FIFA International Soccer (SNES version), followed by maybe a couple of other games (if I didn’t insist on us watching an action replay of every single goal…) and then playing as far as possible through Donkey Kong Country before calling it a night. Being only nine or ten at that point I was far more content to watch everyone else play the games, apart from FIFA – ignoring my obsession with action replays I think I was quite good at it. In fact, when we first got the SNES I played FIFA so much I think my thumb calloused. Again, this is another SNES release that I purchased many years later when the retro bug kicked in. I was lucky enough to buy a complete boxed edition of the game, with manual and consumer information pamphlet. From our own original collection I know SNES boxes don’t last particularly well, so to find a copy of Wayne’s World in this condition was a bonus.
The story sees you playing as Wayne and attempting to rescue Garth from Zantar, the gelatinous cube, this being one of the games mentioned by Noah Vanderhoff, owner of Noah’s Arcade, in the first movie. The game plays out as a nightmare experienced by Wayne, although why it would be structured as a platformer I’m not really sure. Also of note is that in this dream world Wayne has an oversized head, very similar to the Corinthian FA Premier League figurines sold many a moon ago. Armed with a killer guitar (literally – the notes fly out and kill all enemies), you traverse the rather confusing levels on your quest to find Garth.
And that I think is the main problem with this game – the level design is terrible, and you’re never too sure where you’re supposed to be going. I’m of the opinion that the screen is too busy – because of the graphical style they’ve used everything seems to meld together, so it’s occasionally difficult to know where a jump is required and where you actually are in the level. It’s also possible to jump too high and magically leap through the floor of the platform above, making you go through all of it again. Along similar lines, another problem is that if you die at any point throughout a level, you’re sent straight back to the beginning. The levels aren’t exactly long, but their complicated layout means a checkpoint system would have probably been a good idea.
There are a mixture of enemies inspired by the first movie, or in some cases based on locations from the first movie. I remember Stacy, Wayne’s ex-girlfriend and psycho hose beast, who shows up to attack Wayne with hearts (no gun rack in sight, sadly), but I don’t recall living musical instruments or psychopathic ice hockey players in the film. Oh yeah sorry, it’s all a nightmare isn’t it. With regards to the music, if you ignore the constant repetitive loop, the soundtrack is pretty good. Naturally it’s based on the Wayne’s World theme, and for about thirty seconds it’s quite enjoyable. Then it loops. And loops. And loops. Gradually you’ll feel the anger building up in you, which will be exacerbated following a pointless death from a flying cymbal or a glittering disco ball. Both of those enemies seem ridiculously difficult to kill, and as you can’t aim your killer guitar anywhere but straight forward, their constant bobbing around and hovering makes them a decidedly tough target. I usually take the coward’s way out and run away from them. Death usually follows, regardless.
I’ve not played the NES version as yet, but I’ve seen a few clips on YouTube and it actually seems to be the better game. Yes, you could say the graphics are inferior to the SNES version, but it seems to have a better story, a better grasp of platform gameplay, and what could prove to be the deciding factor – the ability to play as Wayne AND Garth. I quite fancy giving it a go, but eBay is sadly lacking in NES versions. I’ll keep searching though, I’m sure I’ll track it down eventually.
So, is it a game worth playing? Yes and no. If you like the films then it’s worth a go. It fits in nicely with the humour from the movies and apart from the issues discussed above, it’s a reasonably solid title. Add the ability to adjust the height of your guitar weapon, throw in a couple of checkpoints per level, and maybe expand the story so you can play through as Garth (magical energy powered drum sticks, perhaps?) and you’ve got a game I’d play quite happily. As it stands I’ll play it on occasion, but given the amount of games I’ve yet to play it’s not likely to escape from its box for quite a while. It’s also a perfect example of games being much harder to complete than they are today. Much like Super Mario Bros, I’ve never reached the end and at this rate, I doubt I ever will!
Or, if you know how RSS feeds work, access the full 60 Second Gamer podcast feed by clicking here.
Apart from a brief dalliance with a tape-based Atari system at some point in the 80s, my first experience of video games was with the Nintendo Entertainment System. Much like everyone else, we owned Super Mario Bros, however our version was on the same cart as Duck Hunt. Cut to about five years ago, it must have been around 2007, when I bought another NES console (we gave our original one away when we got a Super Nintendo – foolish!), and picked up most of the games we’d previously owned. Some I’d forgotten about completely (Turbo Racing, anyone?), but others like Mario, Batman and Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles were the ones I hunted down in the first instance. As luck would have it I’ve ended up with two copies of Super Mario Bros – again, one cart doubles up with Duck Hunt, while the other triples up with Nintendo World Cup and Tetris.
Super Mario Bros is without doubt an all-time classic, and it’s a game I regularly go back to. Admittedly I might tend to favour the SNES remake over the 8 bit original, but that’s purely for convenience – I can save progress on the SNES and the graphics have had a decent makeover, but the gameplay itself remains untouched, which is a good indication of its quality. The story is as old as it gets – playing as Mario, you have to make your way through the mushroom kingdom and rescue the Princess (Peach? Toadstool? Daisy?) from the nefarious Bowser. Fans expecting to see a giant monkey throwing barrels at an updated Jumpman will be sorely disappointed. Given that DK spawned Mario’s adventures, I think he got the short end of the stick with that deal, but then Bowser is a much more menacing figure.
Unless you have a duff control pad the controls are responsive and makes excellent use of the two buttons you have available. One to sprint and dish out fiery death if Mario has collected a Fire Flower, the other to jump. Nice and simple. Travelling from left to right, with a timer hurrying your progress (and unless you really drag your feet you’ll never run out of time), you collect coins and gain a 1-Up (extra life) for every 100 you collect, smash bricks and bash into question mark blocks for coins, temporary invincibility power-ups and mushrooms that let you grow from regular, weedy Mario to the Super Mario of the title. On that note, Luigi does show up if you play a 2 player game, but other than the change in overalls it’s exactly the same game as that played as Mario. Along the journey you’ll encounter Goombas, Koopa Troopas, Hammer Bros and Bullet Bills, amongst others. There’s a nice mix of characters throughout the game, keeping you on your toes. This reaches particularly nasty proportions when you reach World 8, where they throw literally every enemy at you. It’s a solid platformer in every respect.
It’s due to this over-abundance of enemy action that I’ve never been able to finish the original Super Mario Bros, whether on the NES or the spruced-up Super Nintendo version. That’s despite discovering warp rooms aplenty that let you skip most of the game, and knowing full well (via YouTube videos) that you can complete the game in about 5 minutes. Yet despite the many times I’ve played through it, I always stumble at Level 8-3 when I bump into those darned Hammer Bros. I think a lot of my problem is impatience. If I took the time to watch their moves and wait for a gap in their hammer throws instead of charging ahead like some drug-addled plumber having a bad trip. I’ll probably go back to the game again soon and try finishing it once and for all, just to give my “completed video games” list a bit of self respect. It will also mark the first 8-bit game I’ve actually played through to the end. Quite sad in a way…
It would be a bit odd if I didn’t at least mention the music as well. I think just about everybody these days would be able to recognise the Super Mario Bros theme. They might not be able to tell you where it’s from, admittedly, but they should at least recognise it. The opening theme is about as iconic as it gets, but let’s not forget the other, equally memorable themes used throughout the game – the almost fairground quality of the swimming levels; the sinister tones of any level set underground; the even more sinister tones every time you enter one of Bowser’s many castles. It’s another integral part of the game that adds to the entire package. Without the music it would still be a solid platformer, but I doubt it would be anywhere near as iconic as it is.
I’ve dabbled with consoles from other makers since then, and over the years I’ve acquired pretty much every home console from the NES onwards – still plenty to buy but I genuinely haven’t got enough hours in the day nor the funds to own absolutely everything. One day, perhaps, but not right now. My original point being, whilst there has been a lot of competition out there, I’ve always been a big fan of Nintendo and everything they do. Okay, so the Wii didn’t cater specifically for the hardcore gamer for much of its lifespan, and the Gamecube was criminally under-appreciated, but they’ve always tried to innovate with each console cycle, and as a consumer I appreciate that. They might not always get it right (hello Virtual Boy and ROB), but when they do it’s something special. Super Mario Bros, for me, is the game that started off the entire video games boom that has continued to expand since the great video game crash of 1983, and it just goes to show that, no matter how often Mario is reinvented and thrown into another random genre, the original 2D platformer will always be popular and will always be one of my all time favourite video games.