Proun+ 3DS Game Review

April 03, 2015 by adolph vega in 3ds games

Proun+ 3DS Game Review

Review Written By: Adolph Vega

3D:

The stereoscopic 3D within this game really gives the player an immersive experience and adds to the gameplay. The abstract objects and environments within the game clearly move from the background to the foreground and the 3D element really helps to showcase this. The 3D element helps the player navigate and predict when and where to move. Most of the 3D is depth based and turning the 3D up has no impact on the overall fluidity of the graphics engine. The 3D does have some contrast issues that cause cross talk / ghosting as many of the environments backgrounds are white and the objects in the levels have contrasting colors and can cause a annoying and distracting double image. This ghosting image issue is a 3DS hardware problem and not directly because of with the games graphic engine. The graphics engine for this game is gorgeous and uses 3D space in interesting ways to make an interesting surreal look and the stereoscopic 3D only adds to this art. Proun+ has well implemented 3D that really adds to the experience of the game.

Final Verdict: Great 3D

Game:

This game is a very abstract and difficult to explain because it’s unlike anything else I have ever played. Before discussing this game I want to discuss the term Proun is and it’s context within this review. El Lissizky was an early 20th century Russian artist who created the term Proun to describe his surreal modern art. This modern art is supposed to look like a combination of painting and architecture. This collision of different art styles typically uses 3D space and simple designs. This brief art history is important because the graphical art style is such a huge aspect of the gameplay and is almost like playing with interactive modern art. This game has some outstanding art design and is simply gorgeous to view. At times the graphics can hypnotize the player and give you a sense of motion sickness and can be difficult to play because the art is so pretty. In Proun+ you play as a sphere and it travels along a cylinder shaped cable that travels into 3D space to reach the end of a level. You can control the sphere's speed and rotate the sphere clockwise or counter-clockwise on the cable. Sometimes the cable you travel on is a full cylinder and other times it’s a partial cylinder, which limits your movement. The reason to why you want to move your sphere is because various environmental objects will collide with the cable and obstruct your path. The point of the game is essentially to reach the end of the track as fast as possible. Certain areas within the level will boost your sphere to hyper speed and the sense of speed and momentum is well done and can be very thrilling within the game. A button press can also initiate hyper speed if you successfully avoid several environmental obstacles a meter will grow and give you limited boost abilities. The many levels within the game are varied but can have similar hazards and visuals so they can blend together at times. As you play the various fascinating levels within the game you gain stars based on your final time and these stars are used to unlock more levels and faster modes of play. The game does change things up by occasionally changing the rules with different modes. Sometimes the game will feature AI sphere's racing on the same cable as the player to get the fastest time. The other computer-controlled spheres are transparent ghosts that cannot affect the player. The AI races are fun to play and bring out a competitive aspect to the game. The game also offers a point system race. In this points race certain sections of a level have different assigned points that you collect as your sphere rolls over them. The points multiply as you collect them and getting a higher score is balanced out by dodging the various environmental hazards. This points race sets up a nice risk / reward dynamic as some higher points may cause the player to slow down or hit parts of the environment. Finally the game has an endless mode, which is a one hit fail mode. Obviously this endless mode is very difficult because it requires perfection, but can become addicting as you continue to replay the levels to increase your distance. All the levels have a time attack mode so you can directly compare against your previous times. The game gives you the option to post your high scores on an online leaderboard. This process to upload your scores to the leaderboard is seamless and quick and works well for this type of game. The game has many control options for the player to use during gameplay. The game has motion controls where you physically rotate the 3DS hardware to move your sphere. I think this method works, but is not practical as the 3DS system is too big to move quickly and the gameplay is typically too fast. This motion control breaks the 3D element even on the new 3DS with the super stable 3D. Overall the motion controls are a gimmick and something to experiment with but not a legitimate way to play the game. Fortunately the default control method is to simply move your control pad or circle pad left and right to rotate the sphere on the cable. This control option is very precise and easy to use and is the ideal fashion to play the game. An additional control option is to play the game using the L and R shoulder buttons to move the sphere left and right. This L/R button movement is actually pretty interesting and works well. You can also adjust the sphere movement sensitivity within the menu so the control options are very extensive for the player. The game has no boss battles, no story, no characters; no dialog yet is a joy to play. The game gives the player a fantastic sense of speed and becomes thrilling and enjoyable to play as you attempt to achieve high scores. One element of the game I am very impressed by is the amazing original sound track. The music within the game has a 1960’s psychedelic jazz influence and fits the surroundings perfectly. Without a doubt the soundtrack for Proun+ is a masterpiece, and is one of the best original compositions I heard in a video game in a long time. The game only has a few songs but all of them are memorable and perfectly complement this unconventional game. One aspect the game is missing is the ability to share high scores with your 3DS friends and compete via asynchronous passive multiplayer. Asynchronous multiplayer would be nice way to compete scores by taking turns. I also think this game would be perfect for comparing high scores via street pass too. I find it odd that this game lets you compete against the computer AI on levels but has no options for local or online play. I hope these aspects are implemented into the game via update in the future. The game can become very repetitive as earning stars can be difficult and forces the player to replay the level until they get better. The different ways the game mixes up gameplay are nice, but I wish more elements were introduced to keep the player engaged. Proun+ is a very simple game, and is very portable friendly and can easily be played for a few minutes at a time. I recommend playing this game in small chunks to get the most enjoyment. I can appreciate a game that has simple concepts and executes on them without unnecessary fluff. Proun+ is simple enjoyable game with amazing music, fascinating visuals and unique gameplay that I highly recommend.

Final Verdict: 7/10

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http://www.proun-game.com/ProunPlus.html

HOME Review

March 26, 2015 by adolph vega

Dreamworks Home Review

Review Written By: Adolph Vega

3D

HOME looks very good in stereoscopic 3d with many scenes taking good advantage of the extra dimension but the 3D never wows the viewer. The 3D looks sharp and vivid and you will notice that many of the scenes were specifically crafted to look better in 3D. One specific scene with the Eiffel tower is the peak use of the 3D and makes a tense scene more immersive and exciting. For the most part the 3D is subtle and only used for backgrounds being in different layers, but occasionally the movie will have pop out 3D with bubbles flying out of the screen and character pointing outward. Overall the use of 3D was fun and enjoyable and a nice addition to the cinematic experience.

Final Verdict: Good 3D

Movie

Home starts its story in an unfamiliar fashion; space aliens have successfully invaded earth and relocated humanity. The space aliens are called the Boov and they are fleeing from another alien race who are threatening them. The movie is focused on a specific alien named “Oh” and a young girl named Gratitude aka 'Tip’ Tucci and her cat named Pig. Tip has managed to evade capture and embarks on a journey to be reunited with her mother. During this time Oh has become an outcast from the other Boov and along the way he meets and befriends Tip a unlikely ally. Oh is voice acted by Jim Parsons whom is widely known for his role as Sheldon in the popular TV show “The Big Bang theory”. Popular singer Rihanna voices Gratitude aka Tip Tucci. The characters of Tip and Oh have good chemistry together on screen and have well written dialog that works well for both characters. I found both the characters of Oh and Tip to be likable and have good personalities that translate well on screen. I really have to give credit to the writers for having such a diverse cast and avoid the traditional stereotypes. The aliens coming to earth and having trouble adapting to earth is a overused cliché but this movie handles it well enough to keep things flowing without being too familiar. Many of the plot points within this movie I found predicable, however the movie does have a few interesting twists and turns. The movie feels frantic in pacing and rarely gives you time to develop the characters or give depth to the story. I found many scenes to be clever and enjoyable; sadly many of funniest scenes were showcased in the trailers and ads for the movie. I really enjoyed how the Boov interacted with their technology and how and misinterpreted the human race and traditional western culture. One element of the movie I found odd was the complete lack of any military presence or resistance to the Boov alien invasion. The absence of a military presence is understandable due to the context of the movie being geared toward a younger audience, but it still seem like a strange thing to exclude from a movie that is about a space alien invasion. The movie ends on a happy note and leaves the viewer feeling satisfied with all the major plots points being addressed and some nice character development. Overall I found the movie charming and enjoyable, yes many moments predictable and cliché but overall it was a better than I expected and a very entertaining animated movie.

Final Verdict: 7/10

Listen the Podcast Review here

Official HOME Website

The Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask 3D Review

March 19, 2015 by adolph vega

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D Review

Review Written By: Adolph Vega

3D

The 3D within this game looks fantastic, and is similar to looking into a diorama with the 3ds screen being your window into this world. Your character is within the center of this 3d world and objects have great 3D depth distance and fantastic pop-out 3D depending on the environment and situation. The game nativity has 3d environments and the stereoscopic 3D only adds to the immersion of this game's world and characters. This game uses the same 3D graphics engine that was present in the previous Zelda 3D re-release of Ocarina of time. If you have a circle pad pro accessory or New Nintendo 3ds you have direct control of the camera and it makes this world viewpoint easier to navigate and more interesting in 3D. It's very satisfying to move your character and see something in the distance comes closer to you both in game and via stereoscopic 3d. This game is a fully realized 3D game and the 3D graphics are impressive and fit the game like a glove. The game looks sharp and vivid in 3D but the 3D isn't perfect as the problem with ghosting double images happens. This problem with double images happens when contrasting colors cause issues with the eye. This issue cannot be fixed because it’s fundamental flaw within the 3ds hardware and the game’s ghosting can become distracting. Once you start playing this game in 3d for any substantial amount of time you may find difficult going back to playing it in 2D. This 3D is one of the best examples of making 3d work well in the gameplay.

Final Verdict: Great 3D

Game:

When you think of a Legend of Zelda video game what do you think of? The character of Princess Zelda herself? The Triforce? Gannon? The Master sword? Except for a very minor cameo from Princess Zelda this game has none of those things. In fact I would have no problem if this game wasn’t part of the Zelda universe because it might make people more confortable with the games concepts and stop the endless comparisons to other Zelda games. This game is very strange, dark and has gameplay elements that are totally unique and unlike anything else within the Zelda franchise or any other video game for that matter. In this game you play as Link and suddenly find yourself transformed and in a strange world of Termina. Termina has a major problem; the moon is going to crash into the world in three days. Skull kid is wearing majora's mask and has caused many strange and unfortunate things to happen to the land of Termina and it's residents. To help stop the moon from ending the world and stop skull kid you must travel in each cardinal direction and save that area. As you travel across Termina you will meet several characters gain masks, gain items and abilities to help you save the world from the impending doom. The Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask 3D is a remake of game that originally released in 2000 on the Nintendo 64. I have played the original game, the re-release on the Nintendo GAMECUBE and finally this 3D remake for the Nintendo 3DS. I have always enjoyed my experience with this quirky game. The setting has many dark undertones with death being a central theme. The reason why I enjoy this game so much is because the characters within the game are so engrossing and the gameplay is fun and unique. One of my favorite aspects of the game how it presents the characters, Termina and the citizens almost seems like living breathing world. This living world of Termina does not compare to other modern open world games like Grand theft Auto 5 but it works well. The characters in Termina run errands, walk around the town, and have more depth and are rich with personality. Many of the characters are touched by death and tragedy and saving them is deeply satisfying because of the darker more mature tone. I don’t want to spoil any of these character moments but the game is filled with somber and touching scenes. The story telling is simple with very little dialog and no voice acting yet is presented in a memorable and captivating fashion. Masks play a key role within the game and it almost becomes a secondary currency as you gain masks for specific purposes and one can lead to another. Most of the masks are gained by helping out the various characters with many story and side quests within the game. Many of the masks give you powers and abilities you don't usually have; for example if you wear bunny mask your character will run quickly like a bunny. The three most important masks within the game are the Zora mask, Goron mask and Deku mask. These masks transform the player into a different race/species with distinct abilities. The deku mask transforms you into a small plant creature, which allows you to enter specific crannies that jet you into the air, which allows you to float for short distances. The Goron mask turns you into a large rock creature that allows you roll around as a ball. Finally the Zora mask transforms you into a medium sized fish creature that allows you to easily swim. When you wear a mask the various characters in the game will treat you differently and have different conversations with the player. Some characters will be rude or friendlier to a specific race. I think the game hits the perfect balance regarding race relations and is a very subtle criticism of racism in general. Multiculturalism can truly save the world of Termina. Can you unite all the races and save the world of Termina in three days? The three-day cycle is a major part of the game and even has a counter that is constantly counting down to the inventible destruction of the Termina by the moon. It's impossible to complete the game within that three-day time frame on your first try. You will need to time travel back to the first day to start the cycle over on several occasions as you attempt to save Termina. When you travel back to the first day the events you have done will be reset, but any weapons or songs you collected will travel with you in the new attempt. When you return to the first day certain disposable items will vanish from your inventory. For example the bow is a weapon that will carry over, but the individual arrows are disposable and will not carry over to the next run. A banker is in the game that allows you to save your money will carry it over regardless of the run. Is this a subtle reference to capitalism and the bankers always finding a way to survive? The economy system within the game is somewhat broken because treasure chests that contain large amounts of rupees (currency) will refill in each run. So you can easily cheat the system and gain large amounts of money without much effort. The three-day system is very interesting in other ways because the various story events will happen again in new runs of the game. At times I question the notion of free will because of this game as the characters do the same thing during the three days and the events unfold exactly the same exact way. If somebody looped my life for three days will I do the same thing again and again? For example on the second day it will rain in the city of clock town, this will happen every single run of the game and nothing can be done to change it. The three-day element is interwoven into the many side quests as certain story events only happen on specific days and certain times. The game manages all the various side quests and story missions in a guide called the bombers notebook. This notebook system can get in your face at times, but I like the amount of information that is provided to the player and how you can set reminders for yourself. The overall presentation of bombers notebook is very handy and is automatically generated as you play the game. This game is loaded with characters to help with many side quests, and a majority of the side quests are optional yet beneficial to the player. Some side quests weave themselves back into the main story and help fill the gaps in the narrative. The game really pushes you to accomplish all the side quests so you can gain more information and motivations of the many characters. You may have to pick and choose what characters deserve a happy ending, and which don’t deserve your time because you simply don’t have enough time to accomplish everyone’s side quest within the three day cycle. The three days cycle can be micromanaged by the player by the element of time travel. This ability to time travel and manipulate time is a crucial aspect of the game. You can slow down the passage of time, travel into specific hours into the future and as mentioned previously travel back to the first day. You cannot repeat a day; you can only travel back to the first day so you can’t redo the third day or second day without traveling back to the first. This manipulation and control of time is important for several reasons. Slowing down the flow of time can help the player accomplish key aspects of the game by limiting some of the pressure. Even with the ability to slow down the flow of time the clock will continue to count down to the destruction of Termina. Time traveling into the future will help the player accomplish goals and side quests that are dependent on specific time frames. You can time travel to the future in increments of an hour. Playing specific songs with the ocarina of time controls the element of time travel within the game. Your ocarina is a key item within the game and you will learn new songs that will help you save Termina. Playing your ocarina is a simple process of reading the notes on the screen and pressing the corresponding buttons. You can easily view the songs you collected on the bottom screen so playing the songs is a breeze. Regardless how you manage your time you simply don’t have enough and this element of dread causes stress and anxiety to the player. The game will actually show you a apocalyptic video if you fail to save Termina. I really enjoy having this pressure being placed onto the player because it forces you to play the game in a different way and is a tangible consequence for failure. You need manage your time wisely and endless procrastination is simply not an option. I understand some people want to play videogames leisurely and find it difficult to enjoy this game because the pressure to save Termina in three days can be overbearing. I find the time management aspect of the game to exhilarating, fun and unique. The sense of accomplishment is more present because of the limited time and it feels more immersive because of the three-day limitation. Within the game you have many save points all over the world of Termina. Having so many save points does alleviate some of the stress of the game. Compared to other Legend of Zelda games this game has very different gameplay and is a shorter experience. The game has five distinct areas including the main town. Each area has distinct characters to talk to and potentially new enemies to battle. The game has four dungeons to conquer that are mentally challenging and vary dramatically from each other. I found the water temple the most tedious of the four dungeons. This dungeon requires to the player to swim around and change the water height at several locations, and it can become confusing to navigate. Each dungeon has a distinct boss character to defeat and mini bosses to battle. Overall the world of Termina is diverse with many interesting areas to explore and many memorable characters to interact with. It may seem like a small adventure with only four dungeons but the game is dense and never outlasts its welcome. The world of Termina feels lean and tight with no real padding or fat within the game. The game has some key differences from the Nintendo 64 original that I must discuss before wrapping up this review. Swimming as the Zora and rolling as a ball as a Goron are different from the Nintendo 64 version of the game. I think the changes to the gameplay are made for the better and make a more balanced game. The bombers notebook I mentioned before is much more detailed than the Nintendo 64 original. The graphics are vastly improved from the Nintendo 64 original, with many subtle details that give the environments more personality and dramatically improved character models. If you play the game on the New Nintendo 3DS or using a circle pad pro accessory you have full access to use the move the camera. I played about half the game on the original 3DS and half on the NEW 3DS and I enjoyed having camera controls but the default camera controls are completely serviceable. I am slightly disappointed that the extra LZ and RZ shoulder buttons are not used for items on the NEW 3DS; they only mirror the input of the L/R buttons. Regarding the controls I had no problems playing this game, and the use of the touch screen makes inventory management simple and intuitive. The Boss battles have been altered and are different from the original game. The boss character weak points are made more obvious within this game. This change makes the boss battles easier, and sadly makes first major boss is a little too easy now because of this change. I actually appreciate this change because the battles were vague before and this alleviates some of the previous boss battle frustration. This version of the game does add fishing ponds that were not present in Nintendo 64 version. The fishing element is simple and strait forward and fun diversion that adds little to the game. Overall Majora’s Mask 3D is only a refinement of that original game. All that being said I still think this 3D version is the definitive version of the game. After 15 years this game holds up beautifully with tight fun gameplay and characters and scenes that are memorable. The issues I have with the game are so minor that I cannot discount any points. The Legend of Zelda Majora's mask was a wonderful game when it released 15 years ago and it has only become better on the Nintendo 3DS. I might be reading too much into the game but I love how it subtly comments on the ideas of racism, what is free will and the notions of death. I feel this game handles mature themes perfectly yet is appropriate for younger gamers to enjoy too. I really got a wonderful sense of satisfaction replaying the game and reentering and saving the world of Termina. Do not miss this game; it’s truly a bizarre masterpiece and is totally worthy of your time and money.

Final Verdict: 10/10

Majoras Mask Official Website

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