The Last Guardian’s Last Chance

Be warned: this article may become very heavy-handed and whiny. I apologize for any use of foul language or backhanded comments.

This is a sore subject for me and one that has taken quite some time to come to terms with. However, I think “The Last Guardian” only has one more shot at giving me hope for a release and that’s the 2014 Tokyo Game Show. I know it sounds harsh to give up on a game, but it would be better for my outlook on games and mental health if I just learn to let go. After all, I have somewhat patiently waited for the titles release since 2009 when the game “began development.” Since then, I have attended a community college, moved on to a university, made the decision to pursue a career in journalism, closely followed all E3s and TGSs and constantly gotten my hopes up for any scrap of information Team Ico could muster up. The best I got was a teaser trailer only making me salivate in anticipation even more. Oh yeah, and the former director of Team Ico’s, Fumito Ueda, separation from Sony(although he is said to still be part of the game’s development). Rumor after rumor surfaced about the game and it’s progression, and keeping up with the title’s trip to completion has been a roller coaster ride of spotty information and endless delays. But I’m keeping my faith for the “The Last Guardian” for one last video game expo. If I don’t get some good news from Tokyo, I won’t expect it ever. But if I’m going to be honest with myself and you all, what are the chances some good news could be over the horizon Sep. 18-21? Will this year be the one we get some definitive, credible news about a release?

Sit. Stay. Finally get released... Good boy!

I think as a gamer whom fell in love with Team Ico and its two instant classics, “Shadow of the Colossus” and “Ico”, I want to say yes; but as journalist who tries his best to stay impartial no matter what the topic is, I want to firmly say maybe.

Yeah, I know, not the answer most of you wanted to hear, but what more can I really say? It isn’t a for sure and absolute no because Sony defended the title’s legitimacy when people questioned where “The Last Guardian” was at E3 2014. They said if the game had been cancelled and there was no chance for a release, the public would surely be informed. However, it wouldn’t be the first time a promise wasn’t kept in the gaming world. Release dates being moved back is a harsh norm in the industry and projects are tossed out regularly. Just look at Battlefront 3! Half-Life 3! Another Duke Nukem game! Okay, that one did have a release, but we don’t talk about that… The fact of the matter is that it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibilities to see “The Last Guardian” cancelled. Heck, people have speculated that for years now. I just get the feeling that Sony knows how foolish it would be to put the kibosh on such an anticipated piece of software.

Awww, he's taking baby steps! Just like development...

Like I said, both of the games Team Ico created were a huge success. So much so they were given a rerelease on the PS3(it was rumored at one point that a Last Guardian demo would be on the Team Ico collection). If “The Last Guardian” did make an appearance on the PS3 or PS4 or both, Sony would turn a huge profit. Especially at a time where there isn’t a huge PS4 library to boast about. I see no reason that the game should just be dropped. Why put so much time and effort into something you know will sell if you’re just going to give up on it years later? Granted, I’m not the most knowledgeable on video game development. But I think it’s a valid point. So, in the end, I guess this article turned out to be aimed more at Sony than anyone else.

Sony, if you’re reading this, hear me now and heed my advice. Have Team Ico release a trailer with more in-depth information about the game (gameplay and consoles the title will be released on), set a definite release date, DON’T CHANGE THAT DATE and, above all else, keep trucking along on this game and hold yourselves accountable. I hope that’s not too much to remember. You did say that we should expect the game to still be released unless you say otherwise, and as of yet you haven’t.

Now, getting back to addressing my usual readers, I truly expect to see something about “The Last Guardian” at Tokyo Game Show whether it be a new trailer or an announcement that will leave Team Ico fans rolling their eyes. There will be something- I just hope it’s the former and not the latter. In the case there is nothing, well… I think that’ll be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for me. It’ll be my chance to forget about a possible release entirely, and maybe that’s the kind of chance I need. After all, one can only take having their dreams crushed so much. Just ask the 30 people crying in the corner every E3 at the lack of a new F-Zero title. That’s why this year’s TGS will be the last chance for “The Last Guardian.” Hey, if Kingdom Hearts 3 can happen… why not this?

What games are you crossing your fingers for at this year’s TGS? Let me know in the comments below, and share this article so we can hear what other people have to say! :]3

Retro Review: Tomba!

Silly sidescroller hindered by obscure interactions

With the advent of the Playstation 1 and Nintendo 64 came 3-dimensional graphics and a whole new world of possibilities in gaming. Titles like "Spyro," "Banjo-Kazooie" and "Crash Bandicoot" soared into popularity with their immersive environments and 3-D modeled characters. Even Mario received an upgrade in all of the madness and made a new appearance with his video game "Super Mario 64."
However, despite the success of these "evolved" titles, there were still some games that stuck to the platformer formula made famous by the iconic plumber years ago.
"Tomba!" is a great example of a game that used 2-D and 3-D elements to craft an original experience worth the time of any gamer in the late '90s and maybe even today.
The game starts rather abruptly after a short hand-drawn cutscene where the main character, Tomba, a pink haired, primitive-looking boy, has his golden bracelet stolen by some evil pig henchmen. "Tomba!" takes no time to set the wacky tone it would have throughout that it maintains through the combination of dialogue, environment and story line. The rest of the game is spent controlling Tomba as he makes his way through the world in search of defeating the seven evil pigs that are responsible for the theft of his golden bracelet.
While the game may create its own personality in the zaniness that is "Tomba!," it also creates problems for gamers as they struggle to determine which clues are fact and which are there to be funny. For example, during one part of the game a plant that is oddly shaped like a human's backside must be used to shrink a pig foe to a smaller size with the fumes it expels. First encountering the plant, a player might laugh and move on, forgetting it as nothing more than a joke, but as the game progresses it turns out the player must return to the plant if he/she wishes to progress the story line. It's not a huge problem to deal with, it just makes an already odd experience unnecessarily cryptic.
This leads players to wonder "where is my mission list?" A mission list skips the confusing bits of dialogue and gets right down to brass tax ... in most games. After a player realizes the mission list is not located in the normal start menu, but rather by pressing select, they can see just how unhelpful this menu is. When Tomba needs to gain experience to grab a special item or open a gate the mission list will often state general facts such as "collect AP points for something special" or "find the Jewel of Fire to unleash the hidden powers from within." The game automatically assumes the player will know how to obtain AP points or how to get the specific experience to pick up the Jewel of Fire. Although it does give added difficulty, it's an unnecssary difficulty players will have little patience to move forward from, and it will leave gamers asking themsleves what their drive is to complete the game.
Despite the often limited guidance "Tomba!" offers, there are many facets the developers should be proud of. First off, the game controls beautifully as Tomba can run, jump, swing and swim his way to victory. There are some small points in the game where controls can be a bother, but for the most part "Tomba!" offers fluid movements to players that take little to no time to master. The comforatbility created by this ease gives way to many unique interactions that feel rewarding when conquered. Weapons and other items control just as smoothly and help diversify the experience gamers will have as they make their way to the final boss fight.
The presentation of "Tomba!" matches the tone set by the first cutscene in that it is a colorful, goofy landscape filled with evil pigs carrying pitchforks, a forest covered in what looks like Dippin' Dots and mushrooms that can cause a sudden burst of happiness or a profound sadness. The world is just big enough to have variety, but small enough to make players feel cozy, and most everything in the game is hand drawn, and even though character models can often overlap, it appears a great deal of time and effort went into creating the wonderous world of "Tomba!". Although cutscenes add to the game's story line and personality, their presence is far too few and far between leaving the player begging for more. Even the game's final cutscene is less than a minute, which is a shame considering how great the cutscenes look and how much they liven up the game. Emotion through scenery is conveyed well through the soundtrack. When Tomba is in a cave the player knows whether or not it is a scary cave by the dark and mysterious melodies the specific area is characterized by. While this does ring true for the soundtrack, there are multiple background noises that are frequently repeated, which not only annoys the gamers but detracts from the uniqueness developed through backgrounds and character design.
Despite confusing missions and overplayed background noises "Tomba!" is a pleasant, little game with a story line that doesn't call for too much thinking. Hand-drawn environments and funny interactions give way to a relaxed feeling that gamers will come to appreciate as they realize how intense and involved many games of this generation have become. "Tomba!" is an interesting blast from the past that old and young gamers alike should give a chance to. Although it hasn't exactly aged like fine wine, "Tomba!" still puts a smile on the face and challenges gamers to overcome obstacles to reach an ultimate goal, so what more can you ask for?  The game can take more than 20 hours to complete, and players will most likely turn to guides as some of the quests in "Tomba!" require more than just a strong intuition and willpower to complete. This PS1 classic can be purchased on the Playstation Network and gets 7 evil pigs out of 10.

Journey Review

                Ok, I’m going to make this review short and sweet because that’s exactly what this game is all about. Now, I don’t mean this in a bad way, as a matter of fact this game taught me more about having the bare minimum and being completely blown away by it more than any game to date.

                Journey, while it can’t be described by any simple means, is an artsy adventure/puzzle(very light on the puzzle) game that makes use of only two buttons and the joystick for the entireity of the game. There is no dialogue or recognizable text in the game, but the story focuses on a cloaked figure the player controls and his/her “Journey” to get to a mountain off in the distance.

                Throughout the game walls can be brightened to show some wall paintings that give subtle hints to the history of the land the character is traversing and the people that may or may not have once inhabited the land.

                In this Journey the players can meet other travelers online that are dressed in a similar fashion and are questing to reach the same destiny. The rest of the game is simply the progression of the character and the way they go about trekking through the gorgeously rendered landscapes that lay ahead of them.

                I can’t stress enough how absolutely gorgeous this game is. The sparkle of the sun reflecting off the sandy desert you start your journey in to the dark depths of the cave like environment you explore later on amazes the eyes with visuals comparable to that of some of the greatest classical landscape paintings ever created.  It really is a game that clearly sprouted from the inspired minds of brilliant game designers.

                Although the game may not be very long, about two hours in total, the feeling it gives you is one that ranges from pure joy to utter sadness. It almost feels like an interactive piece of art that can never be interpreted the same way twice. This pure emotion is accompanied quite appropriately by not only many vibrant colors ranging from deep blues and purples to hot tans and yellows, but also an amazing orchestrated soundtrack. This music plays on the feelings of the game and heightens the players senses to new levels that I didn’t even imagine possible within a two hour time limit.

                But that, in essence, is journey. It is a moving forward or progression that evokes a plethora of feelings and thoughts without the use of any languages or text and with merely two buttons used for control. It is the electronic embodiment of the thought “less is more” and by the end of your journey there is an acute sense of fulfillment I might even go so far as to call gaming nirvana.

                Without a doubt in my mind I can already say Journey has many awards coming to it in the future and with such devotion on display the developer “thatgamecompany” will have many eager fans expecting greatness from the company for years to come.

                But don’t take my word for it. This is a game that needs to be experienced before being talked about. The modest price of $15 might just open your eyes in a way a game never has before.