-Atone’s Pick of the Week-
Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. Children of all ages. Gather round and let me tell you a tale about this week’s pick.
LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures. And while the game itself released on multiple platforms, in particular, this week’s pick focuses on the Nintendo DS version.
While many people look at this game as a poor attempt to capitalize off of the LEGO Star Wars franchise, it is anything but. With a LEGO Batman title already in the works, it’s obvious - at least to myself - that they are likely doing fairly well in the marketplace.
But, that is beyond the point here. The outlook for today is on the game itself. And while it does have a few weaknesses, they are greatly surpassed by it’s strengths. Graphics for the game are dead on, smooth and bring to mind memories of playing with little LEGO people as a child.
The story itself is well known to almost everyone who has seen the movies. As with the LEGO Star Wars series, they movie levels are broken up into six levels each, making for a total of eighteen levels in all, with mini-games and bonus levels strewn throughout. The content for this game, especially on the DS, is amazing in it’s expanse. Each level can take nearly half an hour to beat; longer if you chose to collect every coin and find every secret.
The sounds and the score for the game are dead-on from the crack of the whip to the iconic Indiana Jones theme music. Anyone who liked, or as is the case with myself - loved - the music from the movies will definitely enjoy the soundtrack from the game.
As for gameplay, at times it feels like you’re back to playing LEGO Star Wars, but the introduction of new items such as the whip, the shovel, a monkey, and such in replacement of the Force brings fresh challenge to the game. Another point that this game shares with it’s LEGO brethren is that as you play through the levels, you can unlock and then buy new characters with which to replay the levels in free-play mode. Coupled with the fact that you can create your own character for the same purposes add a little bit of excitement to the package as well.
Also, you may find that the puzzles in this game are more challenging and therefore much more rewarding to solve. From actually blowing into the microphone to put out torches to disarming opponents with your whip to make them more susceptible to unarmed combat, or even deciding to pick up an item dropped by an enemy to help you on your quests will all be new experiences to delve into.
While I didn’t have any real complaints with this game, there were a few points where I felt they could have made it slightly less one-sided; as in an enemy on an unsurmountable ledge with a pistol and you’re only armament being an out-of-range whip while trying to solve a particularly difficult puzzle was a little frustrating. But such setbacks really don’t delay the games progress or dull it’s enjoyment factor nearly at all.
All in all, I give this game a 9.5
Graphics - 9.5
Sound - 9.5
Story - 9.5
Gameplay - 9.5
Replay - 9.5
-Atone’s Pick of the Week-
For this week, I think it’s safe to say that there are plenty of good games out there. With that in mind, there are also plenty of unbearably bad games out there. But then, you get lucky and find a game that completely blows you away with every new aspect that you come across. From the storyline, to the characters, to the graphics, and beyond. The game I’ve chosen for this week, is one that we’ve all heard of, yet newcomers to the series, or the genre, may find it hard to get into at first.
That game is over two years old and I chose it because I still hear people asking whether or not it is any good; or whether or not it is worth the money. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Well people, to put it simply. It is.
For those of you who don’t know anything about the game or the series, here is a quick rundown. It is an RPG in which you start out with low stats and no real items of use. You design your character from one of ten different races and then go on to define facial features right down to skin, hair, and eye color. As you play through the main quest, or not, you earn experience points which you use to raise your stats and attributes.
Sound simple? It is. But at the same time, it is a rich experience that, once it grabs you, refuses to let go. The first few minutes of the game find your character in prison living out a dismal lifelong sentence. But shortly, all of that will be thrown to the wind and you’ll find yourself traveling through the prison’s underground, learning the basics of the game, and being thrown head first into the main quest of the game.
Yet, one of the greatest things about Oblivion is that you can choose not to continue on the main quest and can instead opt to travel the vast, open-ended country of Cyrodill and explore the multitude of caves, cities, and caverns. Or, maybe you want to join a guild and rise through the ranks. Or maybe, you want to rob and pillage to gain vast wealth. Whatever you chose to do, the possibilities are in the hundreds.
Graphics for the newest installment of the Elder Scrolls series are amazing. Whether you chose to play it on the XBOX360, the PS3, or the PC, you will be amazed by the detail and smooth transitions. The wildlife, the weather, or just the sheer detail of the land will all catch your eye and dazzle you with the time and effort put into making this game what it is.
As for the score for the game, all I can say is that it’s wonderful. I personally love the music and sounds that are tailored to every encounter and situation. It just seems to fit right along with every other aspect of the game.
My only problem with this game was a little one, but was a problem none the less. It can be slightly glitchy at times and the load times should be cut down slightly. But these things in no way impede the game from it’s greatness.
So, for my pick of the week, I chose The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
I rate it easily at 9.5 (Graphics-9.7, Sound-10, Story-9.5, Gameplay-10, Replay-9.5)
Hope y’all enjoyed the read. There will be a brand new pick of the week every Monday.
