Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage (Xbox 360, 2010)

Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage
Developed by Koei
Published by Koei Tecmo Games
Released for Xbox 360 (11/2/2010)
Also on PS3

There have been several efforts over the years to make a video game from the popular anime/manga series Fist of the North Star, but most were either disappointing or never left Japan. Koei seems like a good candidate to develop the game, given their track record with the long-running Dynasty Warriors franchise. Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage is incredibly faithful to its source material. If you are a fan of the story and characters you will definitely find something to appreciate here. There's a sizable cast here and all are easily recognizable, the story remains true to the original and the voice acting is quite good in both the English and Japanese variations.

The menus, stage and character select screens are all well composed and attractive. The in-game graphics themselves are a bit of a mixed bag. The characters are well detailed and look nice, though you will tire of beating up the same handful of thugs hundreds of times over. The environments are somewhat detailed, though suffer from some drab design which we'll get into shortly. The gore effects are quite detailed and are pleasing to look at, as you'll constantly see groups of thugs exploding into blood and guts in appropriate Fist of the North Star fashion.

The gameplay in Ken's Rage is basically a beat 'em up, or hack 'n slash as they like to call it these days, but that term feels a bit out of place as you'll be pulverizing your enemies with your fists here. You beat up everybody in a particular area and then move on to the next area where you'll beat up some more dudes. Every now and then the game has some light platforming or random obstacle but it always reverts back to beating up waves of thugs quickly. You have punch, kick and jump attacks in addition to your spirit meter you'll fill up as you hand out beatings. Once you have enough spirit meter you can activate a signature move or go into "spirit aura" mode where your attack is temporarily boosted.

The bulk of Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage lies in the legend and dream modes. There is also a tutorial, challenge and gallery mode option as well. Legend mode follows the story of the original manga and will let you select from Kenshiro, Raoh, Toki, Rei and Mamiya. Dream mode features new "what-if" stories based on the manga characters, and allows you to select from Kenshiro, Raoh, Toki, Rei, Mamiya, Jagi, Thouzer and Shin. Some of these are fun and it's interesting playing from the side of some of the villains. Challenge mode offers two different challenges, one where you'll face off against the guardians of Hokuto and the other where you'll take on the five guardians of Nanto. These feature ranked leaderboards so you can compete with other Xbox 360 players for high scores. The gallery mode will let you look at an encyclopedia which has entries for all of the game's characters, moves, locations, etc. There is also a movie and music gallery which you'll unlock content for as you play. Options allow you to tweak the difficulty, adjust subtitles, change the violence level, turn the life gauge on or off and change the voices between English and Japanese. Overall, the game provides a wealthy amount of content particularly for a game of this nature.

Both legend and dream mode feature cut-scenes before and after each level explaining the plot. These are all quite well done but the amount of them can become a bit overbearing at times. Luckily they can all be skipped with a press of the start button. Dream mode differs a bit in that there are way more characters on the battlefield at once, resulting in some clutter and frame-rate stutters here and there, but nothing game-breaking. Dream mode also offers two-player coop.

There's a good variety of characters to choose from as you play through Ken's Rage, each of them featuring their own expansive skill tree. As you progress through the game, you'll earn spirit points that you'll use to unlock skills, perks and upgrades for your character. Each skill tree is massive and I'd estimate it'd take upwards of 20+ hours to max just one of them out! This is a bit overboard and I really wish your characters would start off with at least some of the skills unlocked. You do start off with a single signature move at least, but all the rest is up to the player to upgrade themselves. It seems more like a cheesy way to try to force replay value out of the game, which really isn't necessary, since if the gameplay is good enough people will keep playing it.

The stage design is probably the weakest aspect of Ken's Rage. The surroundings are all composed of drab browns and grays, which is intentional as the game takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. However, hardly any of the levels are discernible from one another so none of them really stand out. The stages are rarely linear, and while you do have a mini-map that will point out where your objectives are, most levels are filled with branching paths with power-ups laid out to reward exploration. I feel that the length of the levels in general is a bit too long, and some tightening up in the stage design aspect would have benefited the game a lot. In general it will take anywhere from 30-60 minutes just to clear a single scenario, which add ups to a really long game when you take into account how many different stages are offered.

While I enjoyed my time with Ken's Rage, it's not a game I'd recommend to everybody. Hack 'n slash and Fist of the North Star fans should definitely give it a look, but outside of that I couldn't see many others playing it through to the end. It's repetitive nature definitely makes it a good game to play inebriated, where you can just kind of zone out with all of the body parts and blood flying all over the place as you beat down wave after wave of punks. The game is well-designed in the sense that it never froze or glitched on me at any time which is a bit of a rarity these days. The main knock against Ken's Rage is that it's extremely repetitive and very grindy by nature, but if you enjoy these types of games that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Final Verdict: Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage will definitely appeal to fans of the anime/manga and beat 'em up/hack 'n slash junkies, but most others will likely find it far too repetitive.

DLC

Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage would receive seven additional DLC packs, some featuring new characters and missions with others featuring new costumes for existing characters. Overall the grand total is just under $40 if you wish to access all the extra content. This is quite ridiculous and in previous generations this is the type of content would have been included in the base game as a bonus for meeting certain conditions. While it's cool that they added additional characters (Heart & Outlaw) and new costumes for several characters, by the time I'd achieved 100% on the base game I'd honestly had my fill and certainly didn't want to invest any additional money into the game as I'd rather just move on to the sequel (which will be covered later when I get around to snagging a copy). There is no additional gamerscore attached to this DLC so you won't need it to unlock all the of the game's achievements.

Purchase Links:
Buy Ken's Rage (Digital) - Xbox Marketplace
Buy Ken's Rage (Disc) - eBay

Related Links:
Koei Tecmo - Official Site
Ken's Rage - Metacritic
Ken's Rage - GameFAQs
Ken's Rage Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
Ken's Rage - True Achievements
CGR Reviews Ken's Rage - YouTube

Xbox 360 Standard Controller (Xbox 360, 2005)

Controller Review | Xbox 360 Standard Controller
Developed by Microsoft
Original Controller Released in 2005
Revised Controller Released in 2010

Microsoft got the controller right (for the most part) the first time with the 360, as opposed to the original Xbox controller which received a drastic makeover during that console's lifespan. The standard 360 controller design remained mostly the same throughout the consoles almost decade-long lifespan. There were some variants with d-pads more suited to 2D games that were released in 2010, but the stick and button layout stayed consistent for better or worse while also laying the groundwork for the Xbox One controller.

Microsoft's controller obviously borrows some inspiration from Sony's design, containing the same amount of buttons in a similar layout with the main differences being the analog stick positions and the back "trigger" button styles. While the PlayStation's back buttons are more like actual buttons, the 360's triggers give these a different feel that seems a bit tacky at first, but is quite nice once you warm up to it. Being very familiar with the PlayStation stick layout and with the 360 being my first console from Microsoft, I initially was very skeptical of the analog stick positions. After a few months of consistent gaming on the system I failed to even really notice any difference and the analog stick position works just fine if not even better with this layout. All of the face buttons are responsive as well as the triggers. I've been through many of these controllers over the years but the buttons are never a point of failure. The first thing to go will typically be the analog sticks as they experience the most wear and tear over time.

Microsoft would of course release a ton of variants in the form of controller colors, some with designs and in limited quantities, making them something that could be a collectible if  you're into that kind of thing. There were also two standard variations: wired and wireless. The advantage of using a wired controller, other than not having to use batteries of course, is the ease of use with your PC. The ports on the 360 are USB so you can plug it right up on your computer and start playing a good majority of PC games. The wireless controller will eat up your AA batteries pretty fast, so you'll likely want to purchase one of the rechargeable batteries which is sold separately. Be weary of buying the play & charge kits second-hand since these batteries do still die out and you never know how much those used ones have been through.

While these are solid first-party controllers for the most part, of course everything isn't perfect. It's common knowledge at this point that the d-pad pretty much sucks. It's more of a disc rather than a cross which makes it very difficult to have any kind of precision, particularly in 2D titles where the pad will get the most use. Later releases of the controller feature a transforming d-pad that actually rectified this problem but these are nowhere near as common as the standard disc d-pad. My other issue with these controllers is that the rubber material used for grip on the analog sticks is really not that durable, and this is most always the first thing on a controller to show deterioration. While this is understandable considering how much action the sticks will see, I just wish they were a bit more durable. Microsoft did a great job making the analog sticks a lot more sturdy on the Xbox One controller.

Other than my somewhat minor gripes with old standard 360 controller, overall it's a good product that's comfortable to use and works great with all the 3D titles and games that use both sticks. It's biggest weakness is the d-pad (unless you have the transforming d-pad), so it's not optimal for your 2D action but there are other solutions for that available on the 360. The controller can also be great to use for your PC gaming and is often as easy as just plugging it in and playing!

Final Verdict: A good first-party controller that will also work with your PC. You definitely need to have a few of these around if you have a 360.

Related Links
Buy it at the Microsoft Store
Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller Variations at ConsoleVariants
Every 360 Controller on XBLA Fans
Xbox 360 Controller on Wikipedia
33 Xbox 360 Controller Variants by Metal Jesus Rocks - YouTube
Evolution of Xbox Controllers by PapiGFunk - YouTube

8-Bit Adventure Anthology: Volume One (Xbox One, 2017)

8-Bit Adventure Anthology: Volume One
Developed by Abstraction Games
Original Games by Icom Simulations/Kemco
Released for Xbox One (10/2017)
Also on Linux/Mac/PC/PS4

8-Bit Adventure Anthology: Volume One features the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) versions of three different point & click adventure classics: Déjà Vu, Uninvited and Shadowgate. These were all originally developed by ICOM Simulations and released for the Macintosh in the '80's. Kemco Seika would later port these titles over to the Famicom/NES, and these ports are the versions offered here in this collection. The games are all presented in their 8-bit glory, pretty much exactly how you would have played them on your NES back in the day.

When you first boot the game up you'll be greeted with some nice chiptune music and a menu where you'll choose which game you'd like to play. There is also a settings menu which allows to use a few different filters and adjust the volume. The available display options are CRT, old TV, terminal and black/white filters. Saving and loading your games are done within each title, giving you the option to come back later and resume from where you left off (this was still a pretty rare feature back in those days).

Gameplay-wise, all three titles in 8-Bit Adventure Anthology play similarly and feature the same user interface. On the bottom of the screen you have a list of commands, the upper left shows the current location and the upper right shows your inventory. While these games obviously play most intuitively with a mouse, Kemco Seika did a commendable job setting everything up for a controller, especially considering how long ago these were released. The cursor movement still feels a bit clunky, but there aren't really any quick reactions required that make it much of an issue. The analog stick moves the cursor quickly while the d-pad is slow making it easy to line up your pointer. I found the analog stick difficult to use and the d-pad, while slow, definitely made everything a bit easier. There are also some shortcut commands new to this version, making it easy to quickly open doors and move without having to access the open and move commands at the bottom of the screen.

Déjà Vu begins with your character awakening in a toilet stall with blood on his hands and complete amnesia. The story will slowly unravel as you explore the environment around you. There's some excellent chiptune music, which is important as you will hear the same handful of songs repeatedly throughout your time with the game. There's not much for sound effects except for a few here and there, but the music does a good job of setting the mood. There's a good variety of locations to explore and lots of items/people to interact with. The game is a bit easier than the other two featured in the compilation, but is still quite challenging if not resorting to a guide or walkthrough. The game is also a bit more grounded in reality than the other two games and I feel is a good entry point for somebody who wants to check out these style of games.

Uninvited has your character start out in a crashed car with his sister missing. Now it's up to you to explore the area and find out what happened to her. The game features some unsettling music and some genuinely creepy moments. Some of the puzzles here are a bit tough and I don't think I'd ever have figured some of these without a guide. There's quite a bit to see and do in this one and I always enjoyed figuring out what the next gruesome way to die would be. The game deals a lot with the supernatural, and your character will even learn spells he can cast in the game! This one's a good time and there are some gruesome deaths you can get yourself into.

Shadowgate is the third and final title included in the anthology, and this is another one that's really tough to crack without a guide of some sort. I remember thinking this game was impossible as a youth when I only had access to a few hints in an issue of Nintendo Power. Now playing through it with a guide makes it feasible, but it's pretty insane the amount of stuff the developers assumed the player would be able to figure out. One unique feature to Shadowgate is the fact that you have to carry around a lit torch and if at any point the torch goes out you die. It sounds much worse than it actually is, since there are ample torches available for pickup and even if you die you can just continue from the previous screen with a freshly lit torch. This is yet another solid port from Kemco and probably the hardest, most involved of the three.

These point 'n click titles were a niche genre back when these originally came out (especially on the NES) and still remain as such to this day. I think most people can tell pretty quick if they're going to have the patience for these types of games. These being such text-heavy games also require the use of your imagination quite a bit and I know that's something many people just don't want to mess with these days. However, if you're the type that enjoys a good retro point 'n click adventure you definitely want to get this one! I'm interested to see if they intend to release a volume two of this anthology, and wonder what could be included? Deja Vu 2 was ported to the Game Boy Color later on down the road, so I suppose that's a possibility.

Final Verdict: If you're looking for some 8-Bit point 'n click adventure style retro gaming goodness, 8-Bit Adventure Anthology Volume One should fill that void.

Related Links:
Buy 8-Bit Adventure Anthology - Microsoft Store
8-Bit Adventure Anthology - GameFAQs
Abstraction Games - Official Site
8-Bit Adventure Anthology Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements

Uncraft Me! (XBLIG, 2013)

Uncraft Me!
Developed by Team Shuriken Studio
Released for Xbox Live Indie Games (6/2013)

Uncraft Me! is a tough 2D-platformer with a touch of that perversity that the XBLIG platform is often associated with. The in-game graphics are rendered in 3D blocks, similar to Minecraft, though the illustrated babes that make up the background are composed of high-def artwork. The women look like something you'd see in a Japanese anime and the game offers an option to switch the art from "goddesses" to kitties, which will replace the busty women with digitized kitty pics. This can be nice if you genuinely enjoy the gameplay and just want to play the game without being made fun of for doing so by onlookers, though it's arguable if the kittens in the background will necessarily prevent this.

Each level, of which there are a total of nine, features a unique picture which will be blocked at the beginning of the level. Each checkpoint you reach is a cannon that will blast out a portion of the concealed backdrop until you reach the final one at which point the entire picture will be exposed. The pics themselves are suggestive but there really isn't anything that racy, plus as mentioned before you do have the option to view kittens if you so desire. The stage layouts are well done for the most part, though there are some irritating sections in the later levels. Instead of a double-jump, your character in Uncraft Me! has a jetpack with a limited boost that recharges upon setting foot on solid ground. This gives the challenges a bit of their own flavor and makes for some very difficult stage designs especially when you get towards the end of the game. You will die a lot in this game, but the checkpoints are quite generous so you're never placed too far back and you're quickly respawned upon death. Along the way through the stages you'll face various obstacles, like giant laser beams and lava all over the place.

The soundtrack for Uncraft Me! is fantastic, composed of some hard-hitting chiptune tracks from Fantomenk. Fans of YouTuber Keith Apicary will recognize the name as he's used several of their tracks for his videos. The game allows you to view unlocked pictures for the stages you've completed, giving at least some incentive to play each stage. The challenge ramps up considerably towards the end, to the point that only the most persistent will be able to finish the final levels. I still haven't completed the final two levels myself after many, many tries. Uncraft Me! is successful at delivering a rock-hard 2D platforming experience that gives quite a bang for the buck it went for when the 360 indie games store was still rockin'.

Final Verdict: Uncraft Me! is a solid entry into the tough-as-nails 2D-platformer genre ideal for those who like a stiff challenge.

Related Links:
Uncraft Me! - GameFAQs
Team Shuriken - Official Site
Uncraft Me! Rage Quit - Rooster Teeth on YouTube
Uncraft Me! GFZ Review - YouTube
Uncraft Me! on Sad Games - YouTube

龍炎高校伝説 The Legend of the Dragonflame High School (XBLIG, 2011)

龍炎高校伝説 The Legend of the Dragonflame High School

Developed by HUNTERS
Released for XBLIG (1/2011)
Also on PC

The Legend of the Dragonflame High School was released for the Xbox 360 via XBLIG back in January 2011 and also received a port for the PC. The PC port does have a trial up for download but if you can't read Japanese it can be a bit of a pain to get it running. The developers of the game were obviously inspired by the 8-bit NES classic River City Ransom, to the point where you can pretty much call it a rip-off. That's not to say it's bad as I actually enjoyed my time with the Legend of the Dragonflame High School, though it is a very short experience. Overall the game running time is maybe 1/4 of the length of River City Ransom and can be cleared within an hour or two, depending on how much grinding for cash you do.

The Legend of the Dragonflame High School is a simple beat 'em up with some light RPG elements in the form of levelling up your attack, defense, overall HP and acquiring new moves. New moves are gained via books you can buy at one of several shops you'll encounter. Each of these shops carry different inventory and overall there's a pretty good range of moves you can arm yourself with. Your attack, defense and HP can be boosted by purchasing various food items. The game has something of an open-world, allowing you to backtrack though it doesn't serve much purpose other than going back to shops or beating up the easier enemies for some easy cash. Every foe that you beat down will leave a coin which you'll be spending at the shops. It's a bit of a bummer that every enemy gives the same coin value ($50) as it really feels like some of the tougher bosses should give you a bigger money bonus. The game allows you to save at any point and when you return all of your character's attributes will remain intact. Some of the enemies and bosses can be a bit tough at first, but a little time spent levelling up will make it easier.

The main protagonist, Ryuichi,  is trying to save his sister Miyuki who's been kidnapped and is being held at the school by Enma. You have punch, kick and jump buttons at your disposal in order to beat your way to justice. There are also a few weapons scattered about, such as a baseball bat or a bamboo stick, that can be picked up and used to hit your opponents. Other weapons like the trash can and soccer ball can alternatively be kicked, sending them flying towards your enemies.

The graphics in Legend of the Drgonflame High School are incredibly basic, even less detailed than the NES game that inspired it. Everything looks like it could have been made with MS Paint and the use of color is very basic, but it does look like some effort was put forth especially in regards to the enemy design. I really appreciate how just about every screen presents a new group of thugs to beat up rather than just fighting the same handful of sprites repeatedly. When defeated, enemies will usually have some dialogue and some of them are quite funny due to the mangled translation. The music sounds like Midi music from an early '90's PC and some of the tunes are quite catchy. After beating down the final boss on the rooftop of the high school the player is presented with the stage one music now featuring a Japanese female vocalist singing over it. The oddly translated ending and song lyrics are very amusing. If you don't mind a spoiler (I doubt anyone will play this but just in case), check them out here. The sound design is very simple but the hit impact sounds good which is very important to me in my beat 'em ups. While the game is quite short and not as good as River City Ransom, it's a safe bet that beat 'em up fans will enjoy it while it lasts. It's a shame it didn't sell better on the XBLIG marketplace, which perhaps could have prompted HUNTERS to make a sequel as there was lot of promise in this one.

Final Verdict: The Legend of the Dragonflame High School is a nice River City Ransom clone that is an enjoyable play for beat 'em up fans that unfortunately ends a bit too soon.

Related Links:
Beat 'em Ups - Xbox Overview
XBLIG Games - Xbox Overview
The Legend of the Dragonflame High School - Ending Spoilers

The Legend of the Dragonflame High School - GameFAQs

The Legend of the Dragonflame High School Trailer - YouTube
The Legend of the Dragonflame High School Trial for PC - DLSite