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SuperWes
Updated the banners, but not his title
Joined: 07 Dec 2004
Posts: 3725
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 Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:28 pm Post subject: Konami Portable Week (Castlevania PORn & MGS POps) |
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Bitches, new Konami games! Castlevania Portrait of Ruin and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops both came out yesterday and both are supposedly pretty good. Who got which of these and what are your impressions?
I got MGS Portable Ops and so far I'm 50/50 on it. The graphics are wonderful, the story seems extremely good (even though I'm pretty sure I know what the main twist will be), and the overall presentation (with Ashley Wood artwork and David Hayter voice acting) is extremely impressive, but the camera controls and the "flow" seem way off so far. You move your character with the analog stick and your camera with the Digital Pad, but since both are on one hand it makes navigation really, really difficult. In this instance I kinda wish they would have gone with the old school Metal Gear overhead viewpoint instead of the behind-the-back view. Snake's controls aren't bad at all, but how close the camera is and how out-of-place the camera controls are really makes it difficult to get the feel for your environment. I'm only a few missions in so I might get used to it, but it seems the PSP bad control bug may have struck again.
There are some really impressive-seeming online modes. If anyone else gets this we should trade team members!
-Wes
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Nana Komatsu
weak sauce
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
Posts: 1293
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| Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:36 pm Post subject: |
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| My copy is coming today and I am fucking excited. |
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helicopterp
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Joined: 13 May 2006
Posts: 1435
Location: Philadelphia
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| Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 1:45 pm Post subject: |
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I hold the dubious distinction of not enjoying any of the portable Castlevania games. They just don't do it for me. But, um, hooray for Konami's big day?
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Like you thought you'd seen copter perverts before. They were nothing compared to this one. |
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internisus
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Joined: 25 Nov 2006
Posts: 354
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| Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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| I share that distinction, but prefer to think that those who enjoy them are guilty of being dubious. |
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SuperWes
Updated the banners, but not his title
Joined: 07 Dec 2004
Posts: 3725
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| Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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I've got to admit that I'm not as excited about Castlevania: PORn as I am for Metal Gear. I ended up preordering it online because it came with a bunch of bullshit extras (I'm listening to the CD now!), but after the great engine/poor level design that was Dawn of Sorrow I'm not convinced that it's going to be "the next Symphony of the Night." I might have even put off buying it if the preorder bonus hadn't been so tempting.
-Wes
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GSL
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Joined: 16 Nov 2005
Posts: 725
Location: Mr. Lee's Greater Hong Kong
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| Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:04 pm Post subject: |
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I really like the CD! Also, the timeline is a pretty neat addition (especially "A note from the developer: A secret to explain why a 16th century vampire somehow shows up in the 20th century is now being planned") and finally helps me keep the series straight. Also, I love the little Extend-o Stylus, except for the fact that it fits the DS Lite instead of the DS Fat. Oh well, it's still going to go a long ways to help reduce hand cramps!
The game... well, I haven't had a chance to try it yet. Won't get to, either, until I get back from work. *sigh* |
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friedchicken
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Joined: 16 Mar 2005
Posts: 496
Location: Port Land, OR
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| Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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I've been predictably enjoying PoR. It's awfully pretty, and it's fun, and I'm glad to have the whip back. The partner system is interesting, but not as spot-on as I had hoped it would be. But it's also a lot more of the same-- although I'm at a loss to think of how they could make a 2D Castlevania without it being Metroidvania.
Ugh, but I'm tired from work. Maybe I'll have more to say tomorrow. |
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dongle
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Joined: 25 Nov 2006
Posts: 290
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| Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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I'm very excited about POps but no PSP. I haven't really enjoyed any of the portable castlevanias since HoD (which was inadvertently good-ish by being empty), but I play them anyway. I count it as a character flaw, perhaps.
Friedchicken- As for other 2D castlevania types, Konami could make another Dracula X instead of more not-quite SotNs |
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Sushi d
Moderator
Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 239
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| Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 12:23 am Post subject: |
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a metal gear: portable ops review.
they some how managed to work a miracle... the question is.
is it enough?
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OtakupunkX
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Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 730
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| Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:27 am Post subject: |
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I really, really want to get MPO. Might get a PSP just for it, and, when I'm done playing it, I'll downgrade the firmware and use it for MAME.
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SuperWes
Updated the banners, but not his title
Joined: 07 Dec 2004
Posts: 3725
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| Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:51 am Post subject: |
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I'm enjoying PORn much more than I expected to. I was a little wary of the partner system, but I actually like it. The little puzzles that you have to solve surprisingly don't break the flow at all. What's really neat is that there's no double jump (at least, not yet). You have to jump off of your partner's shoulders. It's fun!
-Wes
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silentmatt
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Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 305
Location: Toronto, Ontario
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| Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:54 am Post subject: |
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The existence of MGS:Portable Ops makes me covet a PSP like nothing else has. It has gotten to a point where I even hinted to my girlfriend/relatives that that might make a good Christmas slash birthday present, if they wanted some direction.
I don't think it is to a point where I could justify spending my own money on it but it would really be nice having one kicking around the house.
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"Jadis, si je me souviens bien, ma vie était un festin où s'ouvraient tous les coeurs, où tous les vins coulaient."
Last edited by silentmatt on Fri Dec 08, 2006 10:00 am; edited 1 time in total |
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friedchicken
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Joined: 16 Mar 2005
Posts: 496
Location: Port Land, OR
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| Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:56 am Post subject: |
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| dongle wrote: | | Friedchicken- As for other 2D castlevania types, Konami could make another Dracula X instead of more not-quite SotNs |
You're absolutely right. Again, I plead exhaustion. Speaking of that, I was thinking last night about my game-playing friends and I from when we were in college. Playing games like Super Castlevania IV (first I typed 'Castlevanion' -- whoo!), we used to talk about how Konami should just make a Castlevania game that was like CV3, but about 2 or 3 times as long, instead of worrying about fancy graphics effects. So a few years later we end up with sortof that-- SoTN, but with pretty different gameplay. ANd then we get essentially that same exact game every few years of the GBA/DS. Like I said, I hate to complain, because the game is fun, but come on. |
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Lasa
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Joined: 26 Nov 2006
Posts: 128
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| Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 10:01 am Post subject: |
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| Maybe I'm insane, but level design is irrelevant to me in iga games. I will have a decent amount of fun as long as there are rooms of some kind. |
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Dracko
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Joined: 10 Oct 2005
Posts: 2613
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| Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 10:08 am Post subject: |
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| friedchicken wrote: | | dongle wrote: | | Friedchicken- As for other 2D castlevania types, Konami could make another Dracula X instead of more not-quite SotNs |
You're absolutely right. Again, I plead exhaustion. Speaking of that, I was thinking last night about my game-playing friends and I from when we were in college. Playing games like Super Castlevania IV (first I typed 'Castlevanion' -- whoo!), we used to talk about how Konami should just make a Castlevania game that was like CV3, but about 2 or 3 times as long, instead of worrying about fancy graphics effects. So a few years later we end up with sortof that-- SoTN, but with pretty different gameplay. ANd then we get essentially that same exact game every few years of the GBA/DS. Like I said, I hate to complain, because the game is fun, but come on. |
Yeah, stuff like that is why I still think the best Castlevania games, as far as consistent level design and mood go, were the first, Rondo of Blood and Bloodlines. The link to the later is partially why I'm interested in Portrait of Ruin, as well as the WWII setting, but if there's nothing beyond that...
Haven't played Symphony of the Night, Europe being what it is, but its XBLA release is just another reason why I'm interested in investing in the 360.
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"This is the most fun I've ever had without being drenched in the blood of my enemies!" |
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Nana Komatsu
weak sauce
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
Posts: 1293
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| Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:05 pm Post subject: |
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I have been playing Portable Ops! I like it so far but I wonder exactly how expansive the story is going to be. It seemed like it would be moreso from the trailer, but so far it's been pretty enclosed.
The game reminds me a lot of Metal Gear Acid, in the way the gameplay is broken into missions and all the management you have to do.
The control is all right but, like Wes the camera is a pain in the butt. Although having a free camera that lets you peer around corners without doing the "slide up to the wall and look around the corner" move seems unfair. Still, I can't help but feel like I should be playing this on the PS2.
I hope Paramedic shows up in a story cutscene because I miss her voice. I miss all the voiced-over codec sequences, but her especially. Or I just want to hear David Hayter talk more.
I have more thoughts about the game than this, but I seriously doubt anyone wants to read a 1000 word essay of my first impressions of the game. |
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Pijaibros
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Joined: 25 Jan 2006
Posts: 342
Location: Mistake by the Lake
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| Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Nana Komatsu wrote: | | I have more thoughts about the game than this, but I seriously doubt anyone wants to read a 1000 word essay of my first impressions of the game. |
But that's what I come here for |
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Scratchmonkey
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Joined: 02 Mar 2005
Posts: 1439
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| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 2:25 am Post subject: |
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| Nana Komatsu wrote: | | like Wes the camera is a pain in the butt. |
No idea if this was a typo or not; still:
Eh he he he. |
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Nana Komatsu
weak sauce
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
Posts: 1293
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| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:19 am Post subject: |
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| Pijaibros wrote: | | Nana Komatsu wrote: | | I have more thoughts about the game than this, but I seriously doubt anyone wants to read a 1000 word essay of my first impressions of the game. |
But that's what I come here for |
All right.
This game IS Metal Gear Acid, only with actual action sequences instead of the card game. The entire thing, so far, has the exact same vibe that MGA had: it feels like a shell of a metal gear game instead of a full-fledged thing. Introduce a bunch of new characters, have some references to main-series characters, lol metal gear end boss. I hope the story direction changes and it doesn't end up like this.
There is way more text than there is speech, and while the voiced segments are excellent, there are too few of them. I'm going to guess it was due to size constraints of the UMD format but having more voice-overs for the mission briefings or codecs would've made the game more interesting.
Using the analog nub on the PSP for aiming is not nearly as precise as the PS2 controller and I have a hard time lining up headshots with the MK22. Also, I never thought I'd miss the pressure sensitive buttons on the Dualshock 2 but I do here. I'm also glad I don't have a problem with my PSP's square button since it ends up being used so much.
The idea of capturing and recruiting guys is neat, but having to drag sleeping guards back to the truck at the beginning of the level gets old really fast. In each level there's maybe two guards a reasonable distance from the truck and the rest are a fucking hike away. There are some soldiers who drag bodies faster, but they only have so much stamina that they can do a couple trips usually.
Also, the whole stamina system from MGS3 is still there, but they took out all the food. All you get to replenish stamina is rations, which don't give you much stamina at all and aren't very plentiful either. Snake has never had more than half of his full stamina bar since the second mission now.
Each character is only allowed to carry four items, which is dumb. Some soldiers can send items back to the truck, but it's easy to run out of spots when you give Snake a gun, chaff grenades, rations, and binoculars.
So far I've only had one gun that can stun guards (well, I just got a Mosin Nagent so that's two) and so I only can really have Snake move ahead where there are lots of guards. As a result I only really ever use snake other than for dragging bodies or picking up items and immediately storing them, and it defeats the purpose of the whole team system. I did have a moment where I stopped caring about the alarms and just went goldeneye on the guards, sitting in room shooting anyone who ran through the door but eventually I got killed.
The CQC from MGS3 is still there, but it seems a lot harder to do. In MGS3 I remember it being really easy to run up to a guard and CQC throw them into the ground, but here it's rare when I can pull it off at all which is disappointing.
Right now I'm stuck in the nuclear warhead storage facility and as far as I can tell the only way to the basement is through an alarmed hallway which doesn't seem right, but I haven't found another way around the alarms. |
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friedchicken
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Joined: 16 Mar 2005
Posts: 496
Location: Port Land, OR
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| Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Dracko wrote: |
Yeah, stuff like that is why I still think the best Castlevania games, as far as consistent level design and mood go, were the first, Rondo of Blood and Bloodlines. The link to the later is partially why I'm interested in Portrait of Ruin, as well as the WWII setting, but if there's nothing beyond that...
Haven't played Symphony of the Night, Europe being what it is, but its XBLA release is just another reason why I'm interested in investing in the 360. |
I'm sure I won't be the first one to tell you that SoTN is worth digging up for the PS1 (or the Saturn, if that's your poison), rather than having to wait a long time for the XBLA version. And you know there's a connection between it and Rondo, right?
Well. I take back a lot of the negative stuff I said about PoR. It's a great game. Moving around is a lot more streamlined (more warp points) than just about every previous Metroidvania-- that was always a pain for me, so I'm glad it's been remedied. The game gives you so many weapons and armor that it's really tough to try everything. I'm trying to be systematic about it, but it's tough to take a 10 point hit in attack power to try out a punching weapon, no matter how cool. They have added a ton of sub-weapons-- kunai, shuriken, iron balls, etc. To the classics like the dagger and axe. And in a real switch, several of the bosses have actually been challenging!
So yeah, I like it now. Blah! |
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