July 2007

Which Renaissance aristocrat can inspire the greatest intellectual works and gain the most prestige amongst his peers? That’s the premise behind The Princes of Florence (Princes), a game that combines auctions, restricted actions, limited resources, and a wide variety of options into seven turns of possibilities.

The strategy inherent in Princes begins before the actual gameplay, as you get to choose your starting roster of three Professions out of the four cards dealt to you; each Profession is inspired by different buildings, landscapes, and freedoms that you can potentially add to your palazzo over the course of your seven turns. Once that’s taken care of and you’ve received your starting Florins, the game begins.

Each turn is divided into two phases. In the Auction phase, each player bids on one of seven items that can aid them in their journey of inspiration; this is the only way these items can be acquired, so you will only be able to obtain seven of them over the course of the game — choose wisely. Further coplicating the matter is that once a specific item has been won, no other player can win that item on that turn, presenting a potential opportunity to deny your rivals of a vital piece of their strategy… that is, if you can outbid them. There’s also a limited number of each item available, so don’t miss your chance to pick up something you really need.

After the final player wins an item at the Auction, each player enters his Action Phase, wherein they have two opportunities with which to complete five different actions. These actions include completing the Work of one (or two) of your Professions, which is the primary method for gaining Prestige — and the only way to earn more Florins for future purchases… but at the expense of some of your hard-earned Prestige. Of course, unless you use actions to add buildings (if you have space) and freedoms (if any are left), the Works produced in your palazzo won’t be worth very much, so you need to plan carefully. As an additional complication, each turn carries an ever-increasing “minimum Work value”; if you can’t meet that minimum value, then you can’t produce a Work that turn… maybe you should invest in your palazzo (or a Bonus card to goose a future Work’s value) instead?

Once the final turn has ended, there is one final phase in which any Prestige Cards (purchased at Auction) may come into play. These can be powerful, game-swinging effects that might add from three to as much as eight Prestige points to your score if you can meet the conditions on the card. Picking one of these up early will allow you to tailor your plans to meet their conditions, but at the expense of a potentially vital stage of early palazzo development. After these last-minute adjustments, whoever has the most Prestige is the winner.

As you can see, Princes offers a dizzying array of options and a tormentingly limited number of chances to take the ones you want (or need). There are strategic decisions that have to be made at every turn, and making the wrong choice could result in a sacrifice of Prestige in order to fill your meager coffers with enough Florins to proceed. It’s a delicate balance that may seem overwhelmingly complicated at first, but most players pick up on the basics quickly and are soon in the clutches of the varied strategy provided by Princes.

The physical appearance of Princes isn’t quite as intricate as the actual gameplay, however. There is a substantial amount of text, including three different types of cards (actually four, but Recruiting cards are all identical), and some rules aren’t outlined on the players’ palazzo sheets, so additional reading for reminders might be necessary on occasion. The other pieces are mostly lightweight cardboard with basic illustrations; the Florins are a little thicker, because they get handled more often. Landscapes and buildings are arranged in Tetris-like structures that must be fitted into your palazzo’s limited space when purchased; additionally, buildings cannot be adjacent to each other unless you have won your second Builder at Auction, adding yet another layer to the game’s strategy. The final components are colored wooden markers for keeping score on the track and for marking which Auction items have been won by which player.

Of course, Princes isn’t out to win any beauty contests. The very premise of the game is the completion of great intellectual works (ok… some of those have aesthetic roots), so naturally its greatest strength is its intellectual challenge. While this may provide something of a barrier to the more casual gamer, the depth of play offered by Princes will reward anyone willing to give it a shot (or two).

Shrek The Third

July 23, 2007

Shrek and his band of merry misfits have been a staple in Hollywood animation for a few years now. Packed full with more jokes for the parents than the kids the movie pretends to be geared towards, Shrek has become somewhat of a cashcow for Dreamworks Animation Studios. With that said, it came as no surprise that Dreamworks had a 3rd feature length film based on the loveable orge and everyone’s favorite donkey.

Coinciding with the theatrical release of Shrek the Third comes a game by the same name headed to all the major gaming platforms. In past years, a multi-platform release really meant a game was ported between the major systems with little to no difference. With consoles like the Wii and the DS having very unique controller options available to them, developers are actually tailoring these multi release games to take advantage of these unique features. Activision has done just that with Shrek the Third.

The DS version of Shrek the Third is a far cry different from its console brethren. Instead of a story mode, multiplayer mode, and minigames you get Story Mode and wireless Co-Op with up to 2 other gamers. In addition to that, the fundamental gameplay is totally different and refreshing.

The story in this version of the game is ever so slightly different than the others. In this game, Shrek, Artie, Donkey, and Puss in Boots have been shipwrecked in the middle of nowhere while Prince Charming has taken over the castle. Their only hope is to locate Merlin, an old wizard, which is not as simple as it seems. With Donkey accidentally turned into a talking parfait, and you know he loves his parfaits, our heroes must collect Golden Faries to undo the spell. At every corner, Charming’s minions are there to try and capture you and your friends.

From the get go, your party is comprised of Shrek, Puss in Boots (PiB), and Artie. Using the D-Pad, or the buttons if you are a leftie, you will navigate each level looking for the hidden Faries. Switching between characters is as simple as touching the screen with your stylus. Characters can be moved as a group, by clicking the screen to link them, or as individuals.

Attack moves are performed by tapping on enemies. Each character also has special moves that can be performed by drawing a line up, down, or at an angle. For example, PiB can slide under obstacles, Artie can throw his shield, and Shrek can break through walls and floors. These moves are necessary to progress through the levels. Check the manual for all the moves available to each character.

Another key element to the game is the use of Merlin’s magic wand. By pressing and holding the left or right shoulder buttons you enter “Spell Mode/Donkey Mode”, whose name is based on the fact that Donkey is helping out from Merlin’s house. In this mode, you can control certain elements of the game. Your magic abilities include removing the shields of enemies, raising magic platforms, and moving Artie along the water on his shield (which you do by blowing into the mic).

Despite the lackluster quality of its console counterparts, I am finding the DS version of Shrek the Third to be quite an enjoyable game. The control scheme is fun and quirky and the game lends itself very well to being played on the DS. My initial reaction was to let the problems of the console versions bleed over to my opinions of this version of the game, but in retrospect I think this version is actually the best of the bunch and deserves at least a chance.

Shrek and his band of merry misfits have been a staple in Hollywood animation for a few years now. Packed full with more jokes for the parents than the kids the movie pretends to be geared towards, Shrek has become somewhat of a cashcow for Dreamworks Animation Studios. With that said, it came as no surprise that Dreamworks had a 3rd feature length film based on the loveable orge and everyone’s favorite donkey.

Coinciding with the theatrical release of Shrek the Third comes a game by the same name headed to all the major gaming platforms. In past years, a multi-platform release really meant a game was ported between the major systems with little to no difference. With consoles like the Wii and the DS having very unique controller options available to them, developers are actually tailoring these multi release games to take advantage of these unique features. Where does that leave the PS2 version of the game? With it being almost identical to the X360 version, it lands on the bad side of the X360 version. Fuzzy graphics, poor character models, and no 5.1 in game sound all contribute to the PS2 version showing its age in a bad way.

The storyline of Shrek the Third unfolds just like in the movie, so if you have seen the movie then there won’t be any surprises here. In a nutshell, and I’m going to spoil it all here for you, Fiona’s father dies and Shrek is set to become king. To avoid having to rule the kingdom of Far Far Away, Shrek sets out to find Fiona’s cousin, Artie, the only other possible heir to the throne. While on his journey, Prince Charming returns to Far Far Away seeking revenge. As you play through the game, most of the time you will be playing with Shrek, Donkey, and Puss in Boots, but the game switches back to Fiona for plot progression.

Shrek the Third packs in a pretty impressive set of gameplay types and unlockables. The basic story mode is where you will spend most of your time and it is broken up into levels. Each level, in addition to making it through the level, has a list of quests for you to complete. These quests range from performing 5 finishing moves to finding a certain number of items littered throughout the level. At levels end, you are rewarded with gold coins for each of the quests you completed. These coins can be used to unlock costumes for the characters, game options to boost your skills, multiplayer levels, and a few other things. If you don’t complete all the level quests, fear not as you are able to replay any level you have previously completed.

In addition to the Story Mode, Shrek the Third packs in a few extras in the form of Multiplayer and Minigames. The Multiplayer mode consists of a single game called Castle Capture where you are pitted in a head to head race to knock down the opposing person’s towers with a catapult. Castle Capture, a game where you don’t actually capture anything, is actually quite fun and is introduced in the Story Mode of the game. The Minigames that are included are Catacombs Leap, Frog Herder, Ships Ahoy, Shooting Gallery, and Shrekleboard. I quite enjoyed the Shooting Gallery and Ships Ahoy, but the rest were pretty mediocre.

Shrek the Third is a solid action adventure that you will probably tear through in a short time. Being able to replay levels is a good feature, but ultimately you won’t feel like you need/want to. For this reason, Shrek the Third is strictly a rental. Despite the extra features, there isn’t enough to justify adding this to your collection unless you are a huge Shrek fan then it might slide up to being a bargain bin purchase. Even then, the PS2 version is so far behind the other versions that you will want to pick it up on any console but this.

It’s hardly a surprise that the theatrical release of Disney/Pixar’s latest CG wonder Ratatouille is met day and date with video game adaptations for nearly every platform imaginable. Equally unsurprising is that the bulk of these titles seem designed for a market that does not exist, or at the very least is decidedly niche: players young enough to appreciate the source material but old enough not to become easily frustrated by the title’s unforgiving gameplay.

Developed at THQ’s wholly owned Heavy Iron Studios, Ratatouille follows the platforming exploits of Remy, a young rat who dreams about becoming a great French chef. Given the quality of other similarly tepid releases from Heavy Iron, it’s not so much shocking that Ratatouille fails to impress as it is disappointing. Given the variety of situations and locations made possible in a game seen through the eyes of a rat, the developers have instead turned out yet another run of the mill adventure that will do little to save players from the icon-collecting doldrums brought on by countless similar creations.

While the main game may come off as largely forgettable, Ratatouille does feature a healthy selection of mini-games, both available from the onset and unlocked through play, and some of these offer a measure of fun not found elsewhere in the title, though with only a handful from which to choose, the question of value still lingers heavy in the air like the musty odor of overripe cheese that not even Remy’s brother Emile would find appetizing for long.

Something to keep in mind when playing Ratatouille is that it is based on a movie property which is itself aimed at the younger set. That being the case, the game should feature mechanics that keep those players in mind, or at the very least include an easier game mode designed to help players with fewer years behind them, who might even be grappling with their emerging gamer instincts for the first time with this very game.

Ratatouille includes none of this, and I dare say that most children will look to the nearest adult for help even before the mandatory tutorial mission has been completed, while later levels, areas, and challenges will likely prove nigh unplayable for the game’s presumed target audience.

Interestingly, in this respect, the Wii version manages to stand out from its peers, at least initially, offering more intuitive and forgiving controls than those on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, or GameCube. But this relief is short lived, as even this version eventually slips into the same routine of aggravation exhibited by its counterparts.

It cannot even be viably argued that the title is instead aimed at tweens or young adults, as beyond the frustrating platforming, odd camera angles, and aggravating missions lies an experience that simply isn’t all that fun. It’s not that Ratatouille is broken, but rather that, like so many other movie-to-game translations, it rides too closely upon the coat tails of its source material, recreating various scenes and events from the movie in the context of an interactive experience. But when that experience itself isn’t entertaining without its theatrical crutch, what’s the point? Heavy Iron fell into a similar pitfall with The Incredibles, and it’s unfortunate that here again more is not done with the license.

And that, in a nutshell, is my problem with Ratatouille. Besides some questionable design, the biggest shortcoming is that it simply does not do enough with what for all intents and purposes should be a compelling vehicle for a fun game. The potential is there, but for whatever reason, be it budget, time, or a mixture of both, the end product simply does not deliver, regardless of how expertly the actors may deliver their lines, or how cute Remy looks scampering about in the kitchen. Ratatouille may be a great movie, but as a game it’s just not worth the effort.

Ratatouille

July 23, 2007

It’s hardly a surprise that the theatrical release of Disney/Pixar’s latest CG wonder Ratatouille is met day and date with video game adaptations for nearly every platform imaginable. Equally unsurprising is that the bulk of these titles seem designed for a market that does not exist, or at the very least is decidedly niche: players young enough to appreciate the source material but old enough not to become easily frustrated by the title’s unforgiving gameplay.

Developed at THQ’s wholly owned Heavy Iron Studios, Ratatouille follows the platforming exploits of Remy, a young rat who dreams about becoming a great French chef. Given the quality of other similarly tepid releases from Heavy Iron, it’s not so much shocking that Ratatouille fails to impress as it is disappointing. Given the variety of situations and locations made possible in a game seen through the eyes of a rat, the developers have instead turned out yet another run of the mill adventure that will do little to save players from the icon-collecting doldrums brought on by countless similar creations.

While the main game may come off as largely forgettable, Ratatouille does feature a healthy selection of mini-games, both available from the onset and unlocked through play, and some of these offer a measure of fun not found elsewhere in the title, though with only a handful from which to choose, the question of value still lingers heavy in the air like the musty odor of overripe cheese that not even Remy’s brother Emile would find appetizing for long.

Something to keep in mind when playing Ratatouille is that it is based on a movie property which is itself aimed at the younger set. That being the case, the game should feature mechanics that keep those players in mind, or at the very least include an easier game mode designed to help players with fewer years behind them, who might even be grappling with their emerging gamer instincts for the first time with this very game.

Ratatouille includes none of this, and I dare say that most children will look to the nearest adult for help even before the mandatory tutorial mission has been completed, while later levels, areas, and challenges will likely prove nigh unplayable for the game’s presumed target audience.

Interestingly, in this respect, the Wii version manages to stand out from its peers, at least initially, offering more intuitive and forgiving controls than those on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, or GameCube. But this relief is short lived, as even this version eventually slips into the same routine of aggravation exhibited by its counterparts.

It cannot even be viably argued that the title is instead aimed at tweens or young adults, as beyond the frustrating platforming, odd camera angles, and aggravating missions lies an experience that simply isn’t all that fun. It’s not that Ratatouille is broken, but rather that, like so many other movie-to-game translations, it rides too closely upon the coat tails of its source material, recreating various scenes and events from the movie in the context of an interactive experience. But when that experience itself isn’t entertaining without its theatrical crutch, what’s the point? Heavy Iron fell into a similar pitfall with The Incredibles, and it’s unfortunate that here again more is not done with the license.

And that, in a nutshell, is my problem with Ratatouille. Besides some questionable design, the biggest shortcoming is that it simply does not do enough with what for all intents and purposes should be a compelling vehicle for a fun game. The potential is there, but for whatever reason, be it budget, time, or a mixture of both, the end product simply does not deliver, regardless of how expertly the actors may deliver their lines, or how cute Remy looks scampering about in the kitchen. Ratatouille may be a great movie, but as a game it’s just not worth the effort.