Vermin360's Blog - Apr to Jun 17 (47 followers)
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May30
My Journey into Game Pass: A Kingdom for KeflingsPermalink
So far I have been tackling what I at least believed to be smaller experiences in my initial foray into Microsoft's new subscription service. This trend continued with my third selection, A Kingdom for Keflings. I had previously completed its sequel, A World of Keflings, and saw no reason to not go for the series completion.

I had previous history with this game. Back while developing on the Xbox 360 prior to the system's launch, the developer version of Xbox LIVE permitted us access to some of the other titles that were currently in developing and testing. I had the opportunity to complete this game at the time, though none of the Achievements are transferrable as I was using a temporarily generated account through the development process.
A Kingdom for KeflingsBig BullyThe Big Bully achievement in A Kingdom for Keflings worth 19 pointsSecret

I remembered enjoying the game, which is why I took on "World" as well. It serves as a gateway drug for the construction and management genre. Think of it as the Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest of the CMS world (if you're old enough to remember that installment from the SNES era). It introduces the player to concepts of resource management, logistics and supply, and economic decision-making.

Overall it's a bit of a linear experience. The blueprint progression tree directs player efforts in an easy-to-digest fashion and the game offers plenty of guidance along the way. There is a "what next?" button, and when a blueprint is selected, there are lots of helpers to keep you focused. The blueprint displays in the top left corner, the workshops highlight assets that are part of the design, and placing assets in the world is made easier with a target location illuminated where it fits among other placed assets.
A Kingdom for KeflingsWorld TravelerThe World Traveler achievement in A Kingdom for Keflings worth 20 pointsPlay in an online game where 20 different player banners appear

I have unlocked 5 of 12 Achievements as of this writing, based on a couple of short gameplay sessions. I find that the pace is a little slow and makes it difficult to stay focused (and sometimes awake) for long stretches. I had also forgotten about the online Achievements which were made much easier when I could run around the office and fire up the game on all the other devkits - the ultimate multibox. I have one of those out of the way, I just have to get a session together to see more banner towers built for the other.

Next entry will focus on my first completion of the Game Pass library, a short but sweet LIVE Arcade offering ported over from the 16-bit era. Thanks again for reading.
Posted by Vermin360 on 30 May 17 at 15:51 | There is 1 comment on this blog post - Please log in to comment on this blog.
May29
My Journey into Game Pass: Capcom Arcade CabinetPermalink
I love me some old videogames. I don't so much love me some CAPCOM Arcade Cabinet. The first issue with this collection is that only three are available from the get-go, with the majority hidden behind a DLC paywall. Which makes it a frustrating add to the Game Pass library. The second issue is that the three initial games that are included with the base game, all from 1987, are not terribly enjoyable.
CAPCOM Arcade CabinetSharpshooterThe Sharpshooter achievement in CAPCOM Arcade Cabinet worth 18 pointsScore a 100% destruction rate against Ayako mother bombers. (1943)

1943 is good. It still holds up as a good classic vertical-scrolling sh'mup. If you're into that kind of thing. Fortunately I am, so it didn't feel like a complete disappointment. But this game is hard. It can be frustrating sometimes accidentally dropping a bomb while trying to pull an Immelman, and there are tons of enemies and shots flying around in the later levels. Kudos to the player who can beat 1943 with no continues.

Avengers is a rather repetitive and derivative top-down scrolling beat-em-up with the feel of games such as Commando and Gun.Smoke, but with a melee focus. I had assumed this would be the first game I would complete, given that it has only about six main levels to slog through. Who'd have thought that sacrificing my way through 16 levels of 1943 would be faster and more enjoyable?
CAPCOM Arcade CabinetArcade MasterThe Arcade Master achievement in CAPCOM Arcade Cabinet worth 113 pointsClear a game.

Black Tiger is one of the first non-linear action adventures that I can remember playing. I'm sure there were more, but this one stands out. It can be tough, too, if you're out of practice like me. With some patience, this one may be more manageable without continuing than others, but you really have to learn the levels. Some light RPG elements are in here too, mostly in the form of purchasing upgrades from the occasional shopkeeper along the way once they have been rescued.

It's funny, but as I scrolled through the list of other available games in the collection I came to the conclusion that my fondness for Capcom clearly wasn't earned in the arcades. I was going to finish up with a paragraph summarizing the three games I would have rather had in the initial loadout, but I couldn't really find any. It must have been their early NES days that endeared them to me, as those games still hold nostalgia for me. But several have had remakes of their own in recent years, and wouldn't appear in this set. 6 Achievements earned so far in this game, with a total between the two games covered so far of 10. (I'm not trying to power through everything in my 14-day trial, just playing what appeals to me at any given moment.)

Thanks again for reading, and next time out we'll slow down the pace a little and explore a game that already has a little history with me.
Posted by Vermin360 on 29 May 17 at 03:25 | There is 1 comment on this blog post - Please log in to comment on this blog.
May28
My Journey into Game Pass: Pac-Man MuseumPermalink
First things first. I was never very good at Pac-Man. While my friends clamoured around the machine in the arcades, I quietly slunk over to something more my forte, like Space Invaders, or Galaga. I don't know if it was the repetitiveness of playing the same maze over and over, or just the inability to recognize and memorize a consistent pattern for escaping unscathed. Don't get me wrong, I respect the muncher for what he means to gaming and still like the game (his intro music is my ringtone) but just lack a lot of the required skill for true success.

Since subscribing to Game Pass on Wednesday night, I have spent a little more time in Pac-Man Museum, putting together a run of four Achievements that could be about as far as I go. There might be a couple within my reach that I'll try for, but can't see myself striving for completion before deleting this from my hard drive and moving on to something else.
Pac-Man MuseumIntermediateThe Intermediate achievement in Pac-Man Museum worth 46 pointsEarn Beginner's Graduation stamp in every game.

The stamps definitely encourage replay value within this collection, though the rewards for doing so are not terribly compelling outside of the obvious Gamerscore from time to time. The animated "pals" and the various trinkets are not much to look at and don't have any gameplay use. A little more history on the franchise in the form of concept art, photos, or articles would have been prefered.

The original Pac-Man still frustrates me today. I honestly don't remember the power pellet effect scaling down so quickly on subsequent levels. I can usually get all four ghosts a couple of times on the first level, but feel like pursuing more than one or two by the second level is flirting with disaster.

Super Pac-Man still remains more enjoyable to me than the original, though hasn't seen as much play over the past few days. To my knowledge it is still the only Pac-Man game that actually allows you to chase ghosts into their pen. Risky, but safer if you're in large mode.

If you remember the horrible Saturday morning cartoon series (and the similarly inspired breakfast cereal), Pac-Land will either delight you or terrify you. The resolution on the characters is clearly dated but close enough to resemble the animated hero, down to his cowboy boots and silly hat. The timing of the jumps is very floaty and feels weighted down. Regular movement feels completely useless compared to the sprinting movement enabled by double-tapping the pad or control stick. Pac-Man should have always remained as an arcade action experience, not a scrolling adventure game.

Pac & Pal is tough to really consider a Pac-Man game at all. Yes you control the familiar hero. Yes it's in a maze. But the gameplay revolves around an almost gambling mechanic where you turn over cards to unlock fruits and other items, no more than three at a time, to try and clear the level. And instead of a Power Pellet that allows you to eat the ghosts, various power-ups let you shoot them instead. Shoot them? Very odd indeed.

Pac-Attack appears on the surface to be just another Tetris-like arrangement game, but follows a somewhat predictable pattern of pieces. It starts to get strangely compelling once you start to figure out the nuances of the gravity-feed placement and Pac-Man's eating behaviour.

Pac-Mania has to be my least favourite of the lot. The mazes are similar to the original arcade, but presented in an isometric perspective and themed around different styles of geometry. The biggest drawback is the limited window of view over the map that makes it difficult to anticipate enemy movements and plan escape routes. Add in an increasing number of ghosts as you play and the game definitely feels stacked against you.

Pac-Man Battle Royale is a competitive gobbler for up to four players, but instead of competing for high scores, it is a challenge to be the last Pac standing. Players bump off each other violently, which you can use to push your opponent into the path of a ghost, or fall victim to the same such tactics. Grabbing a Power Pellet gives you the ability not only to eat the ghosts, but to crunch your opponents as well. Stamps (like mini-Achievements that unlock trinkets for your Pac-Room) can be earned easily in this one by using a second controller rather than face a sometimes formidable CPU foe.

Pac-Man Arrangement is an attempt to modernize the game, and definitely presents the isometric view much better, enabling the entire map to be seen. The reflections are a little distracting though, and the addition of crazy power-ups like dash and jump seem to be unnecessary. The wavy movement of the dots also makes me feel a little seasick at times.

Pac-Man Championship Edition may be already familiar to you given its recency. This is a much better update to the franchise than Arrangement that retains the primary mechanics but radically alters the way in which the mazes are managed. Describing it here can't do the experience justice, so be sure not to miss this one. I got the full allotment of Achievements on its Xbox LIVE Arcade standalone counterpart, so I should be able to knock off most of its stamps in the Museum collection.
Pac-Man MuseumGame SamplerThe Game Sampler achievement in Pac-Man Museum worth 10 pointsPlay 9 different games.

Upcoming issues of the blog will address the Capcom Arcade Cabinet, as well as A Kingdom for Keflings as my exploration of the Xbox Game Pass library continues. Thanks for reading.
Posted by Vermin360 on 28 May 17 at 01:26 | There is 1 comment on this blog post - Please log in to comment on this blog.
May26
My Journey into Game Pass: The LaunchPermalink
I'm not a member of the Xbox Preview program, so much like many of you I had to sit back and wait for my eagerly awaited launch of the Xbox Game Pass. This is the type of subscription that I've dreamed of for some time now and since it was first announced I've been watching the news for when "Q2" would finally solidify into a more concrete date. I have already been a subscriber to EA Access since it was made available, and have found it to be a great way to expand my repertoire on the cheap. And as I let my students out for their mid-lecture break, I saw the news on Wednesday that made my day. It was here.

I know that Game Pass is not for everybody. Just read the comments thread on the TA article to see the back and forth praise-bash combo. For me, it's great. Yes, some of those games I already received through Games with Gold. Yes, a lot are games that are quite old. But I missed a lot of those games, and now I can go back to them, not feeling like I'm spending sticker price on games that may feel outdated. But I still want to play them because there is a lot to be learned.

I teach Game Design and Production and having a wide breadth of game experiences helps me with providing constantly evolving material in my classes. I've spent my fair share of coin on games I knew I wouldn't like in the past just to get a first-hand account of exactly how the mechanics played out, how the balance felt, and whether they still managed to accomplish something right with their game feel. Game Pass lets me sample plenty of games for about the same price as my Netflix subscription. Two games a year to have access to over 100 at any given time. (For the record, 60 of the 112 games at launch were games I did not already own - that's still a pretty sweet deal in my eyes.)

I race home Wednesday night around 8:30pm, after nine hours of solid lecturing. What should I start with? Should I jump intoHalo 5: Guardians? Gears of War: Ultimate Edition? Get my sport fix out of NBA 2K16? No. In style true to who I am, I go where most people probably won't even look. Pac-Man Museum.

I grew up through the entirety of the 1970s, so I've seen nearly every game pass through my lifetime. I love the retro collections because they remind me of how simple and elegant games used to be before multi-million dollar budgets, the insistence on stories that never seem to pull me in, and graphics-over-gameplay experiences. They remind me of the hours I would spend playing the same three or four levels (in Pac-Man's case one single level) over and over again. So this seemed like a good place to start.

I played a quick game of each of the nine games in the collection. I think that Super Pac-Man may be my favourite of the lot. I was never that great at the original dot-muncher, and there's something very satisfying about powering up and smashing through walls. I was disappointed that Ms. Pac-Man was premium DLC for the collection (but I own it already on Live Arcade standalone) and really missed Baby Pac-Man. You can't properly replicate its combination of pinball and videogame action rolled into one in a pure videogame format, but I think it would be nice to see somebody like the Pinball FX team give it a shot.

Moving on from a few rounds, I downloaded my second game. CAPCOM Arcade Cabinet. It would have been nice to get access to the full suite of DLC with Game Pass but I understand that it's part of the business model not to include it. Funny how I gravitated to such old material on my most recent of consoles. I've definitely lost my edge from when I could spend significant amounts of time on a single quarter in my youth, but they are still fun for me to play.

I'm not sure exactly what my approach will be to the other 58 "fresh" games in the library. I might target quick completions first, I might target the more pricey titles first, since purchasing them once they leave Game Pass would be a greater investment of capital. Or I might just see what kind of experience I'm craving at that particular moment. I think I'll talk a little more detail in some subsequent posts about my play time in those games, provided that the inspiration strikes and I have the time to post now with all these games primed to destroy my completion percentage. Thanks for joining me.
Posted by Vermin360 on 26 May 17 at 13:49 | There are 2 comments on this blog post - Please log in to comment on this blog.
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