DeathSpank Review

DeathSpank is not like many other games. It has charm, wit, and a great ability to make you feel like a hero to the downtrodden. It unfortunately also has an ability to make you feel like one of the downtrodden that you are supposed to be downtroddening or something like that.

From the second you start playing it is easy to see where Ron Gilbert's (Monkey Island) influence takes root. The jokes are familiar yet fresh and there is even one in there about Monkey Island. To say that the game is aware of itself would be speaking lightly as you are constantly greeted by jokes about game mechanics and common RPG terms.

The game is an RPG, heart and soul, from the loot to the constant questing. The game is a real time RPG with solid mechanics, good inventory systems (an auto-grinder would have been nice), and a hefty amount of content. It also takes a teeny slice from the adventure game pie but that lies in a few puzzles and the dialogue options.

The dialogue remains fantastic throughout the game but toward the end of the experience it all begins to feel samey, boring, and washed out. Jokes at the end of game would have been funny at the beginning of your experience but when you are nearing the end of a ten hour experience you have - in so many ways - heard it all before.

The same thing happens with the gameplay. It is fun to begin but toward the end it feels like rinse and repeat. Despite the constant loot you will find that you stick with the same weapons throughout the game. You might switch to new weapons 4 or 5 times in the game throughout. The runestones change it up a bit (mostly just for the cool aesthetics) but they are by no means necessary so you might never use them at all. The game may also have plenty of loot but you will rarely find that you are ever maintaining your inventory (though toward the end of the game you will constantly be grinding things that you do not want in order to make room for the things you need).

Despite all of the caveats, I played through the game in two long gameplay sessions and watched time melt away after I did - short, simple and sweet - quest after quest. The game is built for short gameplay bursts and it may have done the game a greater service to play it like this because after the first long gameplay session I felt like I had no reason (other than to finish it off) to go back. The story is okay, and once you have heard some of the jokes none of the others will catch you off guard.

Something that did catch me off guard was that this was also the first game in a long series of games played through where I found the music boring and less inspired than the rest of what the game had to offer.

Everything about the DeathSpank experience (sounds like an exotic ride) screams - from the Enchanted Forest to the Demon Mines - of polish, careful thought and crafty design. I remember several times throughout my playthrough stopping to marvel at just how well everything worked though DeathSpank, the game, is much like Deathspank, the character; he means well but the outcome is not always what was intended. Buy this game if you are a fan of Monkey Island or Diablo as the hype has suggested (or for an easy 200 gamerscore) - the rest may be able to wait for DeathSpank 2.

3.5 out of 5

Review based on the retail XBLA code paid for by the reviewer.

Monday MUpdate: OBJECTION!

Do you remember when I played video games on a frequent and frantic basis? When life revolved around a digital avatar and his survival? Do you remember the last time I came here with a finalized review of a game I had played from beginning to end? Those were simpler times, and finer times at that. My life, while filled with constant news of video games, has a severe gap in immersion to digital realms. I find that since video gaming is a task I can not undertake while multi-tasking, it often falls to the wayside due to my need to be doing fifty things at once. This is my gift, but this is also my curse.

However, I did manage to go ahead and do a slight bit of gaming this weekend. Nothing I'm overly proud of but still a fun amount none the less.

The first game I played this weekend was the special edition of The Secret Of Monkey Island. I had previously mentioned that I wouldn't be able to buy it, and I just wanted to play the trial, so that's what I did. I obviously can't give a full review of the special edition based on my brief experience in the redesigned world, but having played the original multiple times I definitely feel I can make a few comments on it, and the main comment I want to express is that as much as I'd hoped, I really don't care for it. At first I thought it was very cool the way the game started out with old school graphics and then slowly faded into the new ones, and I liked the theme song done with a full orchestra. I found myself humming along and smiling. But as soon as the game actually started and Guybrush walked into frame, I thought it looked too awkward. See, the original graphic setting worked because everything was 2D, however they're trying to place a 2D background that has been mildly placed into 3D with 3D characters trying to walk on it that are framed like 2D characters. Follow me so far? With the last Monkey Island game, Escape, we were given a fully 3D world that had set camera angles, and that worked out fine. Trying to take an old 2D angle and just sharpen the corners makes for an awkward setting for characters who can only look right, center, or left. That and, as much as I really honestly did like the voice acting, it takes away from the gameplay a little bit. I felt like I laughed harder when I read the lines because the game tries to keep the same pace as when you read it. In the opening scene where Guybrush is talking to an old man atop Melee Island, you still hear the pauses as if you were waiting for the game to load up the next bit of dialogue, and it doesn't flow as smoothly as dialogue in other games. I feel like that's kind of a nitpicky complaint, but that's the kind of complaints I believe I'm known for. So while I obviously didn't play the whole game, I kind of have to recede my recommendation of it a little bit. I still do honestly believe that the adventure genre is one of the best genres and we need more games like that, but if you can find the original Monkey Island and play it through some kind of DOS emulator, do that instead. You'll have a much better time.

The other game I so gleefully played was Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney on the Nintendo DS. I. Love. This. Game. Have you ever played it? You haven't?! Ooohhh, you really should! This is the first game I ever played on the DS back in 2006 at Connecticon with my friend Brandon. I thought it was an absolute blast, and now that I have a DS I've been hunting it. I finally received it as a wonderful gift this weekend and I got to relieve all the hilarity and magic that this game has to provide. You play Phoenix Wright, an attorney at law, and you are given a case and have to prove your client's innocence. That may sound kind of corny or boring to you, but I promise it's not. It's a brain teaser and an excellent puzzle game and it's an absolute blast and a half to play. Sure, you're not running around blowing things up, but I think I've made it pretty clear that I have more fun in games that make me really think. This game does just that. The opening case puts you in defense of someone accused of murder, and what's further is you actually know who really committed the murder. You need to find holes in their testimony as well as provide evidence towards their innocence. It's so much fun. As the game progresses, you yourself collect evidence at the scene of crimes as well as go up against other Ace Attorney's, all of whom have been doing this for much much much longer than you have. Either way, this game is an amazingly fun game, and if you happen to come across it in a Game Stop, don't pass it by. It's incredibly hard to find but definitely worth your $20.

That's it for me this week. Tune in next time when I juggle a bear and eat a walrus.

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition

I mentioned this in my Monday MUpdate, but unfortunately my Monday MUpdate's tend to be long and full of (sometimes) incoherent ranting, so I'm never offended when people admit they don't bother to read it. However, this bit of news is news that I find entirely relevant and worth it's own post in order to announce it, so I will do so:

On July 15th, the Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition will come to XBOX Live! and Steam (on the PC) for only 10 dollars (or 800mp).

With the new Tales Of Monkey Island games coming exclusively to PC and Wii (of which I have formally stated time and time again that I refuse to ever buy), I'll miss out on all the new adventures of Guybrush Threepwood, a pirate who puts Captain Jack Sparrow to shame. It's in that fact that I am ten times more excited to be able to get this game for as little as $10 and be given a new way to enjoy an all time favorite. This game utilizes the exact same script as the first one, but now features full voice casting, a rerecorded soundtrack, and a virtual makeover. I personally am very excited over all of that, but I feel that since I am the resident cynic of BGE, I should note the downsides to all of this. It's great that they are using the original script, and I can see nothing wrong with that, but obviously when re-doing some of the other parts you lose a little bit of the original charm. There will be no more bleeps and bloops but now fully recorded strings by some professional orchestra. Guybrush's 8-bit antics will now be brought more to life, but does that neccesarily make it better? We know for a fact that there is a market for classic games in their original format as we've seen games on Live! such as Doom, Mortal Kombat 3, and even the brand new Mega Man 9 was produced to represent the original style. However, as an advocate for this game, I fully endorse what they've done despite my natural cynical nature. Sure, I may have small complaints about what the character models look like, but on the other hand, the whole point of this remake was to give it a new look, and while obviously not all remakes are worth while (Bionic Commando, anyone?), it's an obvious risk to take when bringing something like this to a new market.

Monkey Island, to me, is the absolute definition of classic gaming. I've played this games so many different times throughout my various stages of youth that the events in this game are somewhat branded in my mind. The three sequels I'll admit to only ever playing once, but the first one was something that I found had endless replayability, especially because after a year or two of not playing it I'd forget how to solve all the puzzles and it would in turn become hard again. Games that make you really sit down and think and take notes are a definitive thing of the past, replaced with glitzy and hi-def animated action games that are very capable with the presentation but lack substance. Monkey Island is not as flashy as modern games, but I feel that the things most missing in modern gaming are adventure games like this. Sure, we have all the games that Tell Tale provides, but those aren't all accessible on consoles. I'll never get the opportunity to play the Bone games because I own a Mac, and that's unfortunate. However, with what little consolation I'm given, I feel that I need to make the best of it.

So while I myself will not be able to purchase Monkey Island the day of (if only due to monetary constraints), I most certainly highly recommend this game to any and all. If you liked Sam And Max Save The World, this game is right up your alley. If you are tired of the humdrum stereotypical run around and shoot things type of game, this is right up your alley. If you're just looking for a great game with LOADS of laughs (we're talking legitimate r.o.t.f.l.y.f.a.o. funny here), then go ahead and grab Monkey Island. What do you have to lose? $10? You can get that back easily. So go on, get it. I'll be here. We can discuss it afterwards, possibly over a nice coffee or something. You can drink the coffee, I'll just sit there. I can't drink coffee. It puts me to sleep. There's something weird in my brain with that. But I love talking, and I love talking about Monkey Island, so you go get the game, I'll go grab you a coffee, and we can sing the theme song in harmony in our local Starbucks for the rest of the evening. Deal? Deal.

sauce

Monday MUpdate: Bay freaking windows, man!

Alas, poor XBOX. I knew it, Nathaniel: a console of infinite capabilities, of most excellent fancy: it hath borne me on it's back a thousand times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rims at it. Here hung those USB ports that I have plugged into I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now? your gambols? your songs? your flashes of red lights, that were wont to set the internet on a roar? Not one now, to mock your own sitting? quite chap-fallen? Now get you to my lady's chamber, and tell her, let her gain an achievement, to this favour she must come; make her play with that. Prithee, Nathaniel, tell me one thing.

Anyway.

I played videogames very sparingly this weekend due to, of course, an excess amount of other things to do. To my chagrin, I still have not beaten Sam and Max, although I am at the very end of the game. I just need to pick an hour or two to dedicate to the destruction of the moon (I think). It's hard to play that game's episodes over several nights because sometimes you lose track of the puzzles you need to solve. It's always best to just start from the top and go until you finish. Keeps your mind fresh and focused on the goal at hand. I popped in Bioshock for a spell because I'd been reading about the sequel and all the cool things the press are getting (that we aren't... ahem). The opening of that game still serves as one of the coolest openings of a next-gen game. I played up to the first point of death on Hard and then put it back, though. Finally, I popped in Fallout 3 and got my 100 ingots. I had been at about 60something and I searched for about two hours before finally getting those last damn two. Believe me, they are in obscure locations that without being ridiculously clever with your jumping, you'd never think to go to. I wish the achievement for it was worth more, but now I can finally finish the Pitt and go on to Broken Steel and Point Lookout. Of course, as soon as I got that last ingot and the achievement, I turned the system off, but that's beside the point. Much to Nate's inevitable disappointment in me, however, I did not put Mass Effect on once.

In other good news, while out and about I finally stopped by Game Stop and reserved my copy of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2. This and Assassin's Creed 2 look to be the last two games I will buy this year, despite all of the games I want to play due to monetary restrictions. I'm considering opening up a Game Fly account though, so we'll see. I also tried to rent Ghostbusters due to Nate's constant ranting and raving about it and my rewatching of Ghostbusters I during chores on Saturday morning, but Blockbuster was all out so I continue to be out of the loop on that one. I don't feel as if I'm missing all that much on it, but then again I'm the resident skeptic who tends to look towards the more obvious flaws sometimes (as I've been noted on doing with the Batman game). I'll give it a spin eventually, though... probably some rainy day when no one is home but me and my cats and the apartment is filled with the sound of lonely.

I also played the Wii for a good amount of time this weekend. I went to my friend Brandon's house on July 4th and, instead of doing anything related to the holiday considering how devoid of meaning it is to us (not that we're un-American or anything, we just don't care) we played videogames. Originally we pulled out the XBOX 360, but as we learned, his XBOX has a terrible condition called "I don't know that your 360 disc is a 360 disc and not a DVD"-itis. Since the cure for this condition required more work then we were willing to give it, I suggested we just play Wii Sports to pass the time. Now, I'm a very adamant Wii antagonizer and I will fully admit right off the bat that I think it's a stupid system, a waste of money, and I would never degrade myself so much as to actually purchase one. Ever. With that said, I did have some sort of fun. It could be the ridiculousness of me and my friends jumping up and down, or the fact that my avatar was the recently deceased Billy Mays, but it was enjoyable. We bowled, we played golf (the most evil thing in the world), and I took two people on at the same time in tennis. It was fun to get up and jump around like idiots, hit our hands on the ceiling and trip over each other like a bunch of drunk buffoons, even though the heaviest drink any of us was drinking at the time was pure water. I still hold to the fact that I think the Wii is a dumb console, but I can't deny that I didn't have fun. However, I think that it's not really the Wii's fault for that. Getting together in a group of friends where you're all hopping up and down and shouting is fun in any situation. Hell, we could've been playing EXTREEEEEEME Trivial Pursuit on a bootlegged and modded Atari. It's more the excuse to get around with your friends and behave idiotically (as opposed to...) that creates the fun. The Wii is simply a facilitator to this. Besides, the Wii makes horrible jokes way too soon.

So all in all, I'd say the weekend ended up with more videogames than I initially expected. More videogames than usual, that's for certain. And quite genre-defying for myself, if I do say so.

I also picked up two quick bits of videogame news relevant to myself, but also anyone with as impeccable taste as me:

Number The First: Marvel vs Capcom 2, which was "supposed" to be out by now, is due out at the end of July. If we're lucky, it'll be out around July 21st, and then I can play it off as my gift to the huddled masses (considering July 21st is one of the few holidays I actually celebrate). Most likely, though, we're looking at July 28th for a release date. On the plus side, everything comes pre-unlocked in it, so all you have to do is pay your $15-20 and go play.

Number The Second: While the new Tales of Monkey Island is not coming to the XBOX 360 anytime soon (damn you, Telltale Games!), a remastered "special edition" of The Secret of Monkey Island is! I didn't even know they were remaking the game! Boy howdy. The Secret Of Monkey Island is an absolute classic in adventure gaming and one of the firs games I ever played, although definitely not the first game I was ever able to beat (that didn't happen until two years ago, for shame). It's a highly recommended pirate romp filled with hilarity, insult sword fighting, and ghost pirates. If you have the money to spare and you've never played the game, I'd highly suggest you get this game when it comes out. Lord knows we need more like it.

That's about it for me. The only things I can really recommend at this point are breadbowls, bruschetta, and bay windows - the perfect combination for any day.