Everybody's Golf (PS4) Review

Two more reviews are coming in April before we bid this month adieu. The first is an August release from last year, Everybody's Golf. Does a new name (for North America) and new features make for a better golf game for this long-running PlayStation franchise? You know what I always like to say, "Let's find out!"

A golf game where everybody's welcome

The Everybody's Golf series is one of the PlayStation brand's longest-running franchises, dating back all the way to the original PlayStation. The series is one of the few that has released on every PlayStation platform under the sun. In North America the series was given a name change for its localization. It was previously Hot Shots Golf, but now the franchise retains its worldwide name and comes to the PlayStation 4 with a brand-new game. Simply titled "Everybody's Golf", developer Clap Hanz creates a much more approachable and accessible game of golf than ever before.

Your destination in Everybody's Golf is Golf Island, and this is the hub where you can perform a myriad of tasks, the first of which is creating your custom avatar. It's absolutely amazing how many features can be altered to create a golfer that is as close a likeness to you as possible, or if you like, something incredibly off-the-wall with freaky proportions that will give other golfers nightmares on the links. Even with the limited (compared to what you can buy, earn, and unlock later in the game) selection of customization parts, you can tailor and outfit your golfer to your liking with an abundance of options.

My golf game's future is so bright I gotta wear shades!

You begin at the lowest rank on Golf Island, and it's your objective to go as high as possible, Rank 1. Through completing tournaments--9 or 18 hole rounds where you try to get the best score against the rest of the competing field--you earn experience points. More is earned upon making first place. When enough experience points have accumulated, you are challenged by an AI opponent for a one-on-one match. Different competitors offer varying rules. Some might have you win holes by points, while others might impose one stroke penalties on you for hitting into the rough, or a bunker. There are three opponents per rank, and beating the third opponent in Match Play awards you with an increased rank.

Look, Ma! I'm about to drive this ball with my eyes closed!

The first couple ranks can be a bit of a grind to move forward as you're limited to just one golf course at the beginning. There are only so many times you can play either the front or back 9 of the beginner course Eagle City before you start growing tired of its sunny, city surroundings. Thankfully, there is an option to speed things up by turning on Serious Mode. This mode makes the competitors in tournaments get better scores, making for a greater challenge while having the benefit of increasing how much experience and money you earn per round. It doesn't quite solve the problem of having to replay the same course over and over again until a later rank, but it does hasten the time it takes to get to your next rank. 

My opponent Laura is about to get schooled in golf by
my custom avatar (of which you can create eight different ones).

Still, there are some perpetual carrots on sticks to get you to keep playing rounds. You earn coins after rounds are complete that can be used to purchase new customization options like clothing, hair styles, and accessories. Additionally, after each round, you also are awarded with bonus goodies such as gear in the form of clothing and specialized limited-use golf balls of varying abilities as well.

Everybody's Golf uses a tried and true three-button-press system--one to start the swing gauge, one to set the power, and one to set the accuracy. You can hold the D-Pad in one of four directions upon setting the accuracy to unleash topspin, backspin, and sidespin. Later in the game you learn how to perform the incredibly helpful super forms of these aforementioned shot types. Also while determining accuracy, you want to have the meter inside the pink area upon pressing the button the third time to set the accuracy. Otherwise you run the risk of having the ball stray off course significantly, ruining your chance at par in the process.

Too fast of a button press. This ball will go a bit off course.

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Button pressed right within the zone. This ball should stay right on track.

As you use clubs, you slowly but surely level them up, increasing their aptitude and ability. Each club in your bag has four different stats that increase in level upon using them properly: power, control, sidespin, and backdoor. Increasing a club's power level strengthens the maximum distance a ball can be hit. A control increase means your shot won't be as susceptible to sway and off course shots. Sidespin gives you more control and ability out of your spins, and backdoor grants a higher probability of golf balls, whether chipped or putted, of going into the hole if they hit the cup's rim. Having each club level up individually means that you'll want to vary which clubs you use and not stick to just one or two. However, it also means that there's a bit of a grind here as well, especially for clubs you don't always use. While your 1-Wood might be spectacular at driving large distances, it doesn't mean anything if your Putter or Wedges are at low levels and can't help out your short game for beans.

Everybody's Golf provides tips in the form of info messages to help you out on the links.
 Fortunately, if you don't want them, you can turn them off.

One of my biggest beefs with past Everybody's Golf games is how brutal they could get when it concerned difficulty. Some of the games featured some truly tricky holes and greens that offered little leeway to mess up, making for a blood pressure-raising experience instead of a relaxing, engaging, and fun one. Everybody's Golf on PlayStation 4 is not just easier in difficulty, but it's also much more inviting, allowing players of all skill levels to fully enjoy the game. There aren't many insanely narrow, extremely undulating greens to make next-to-impossible putts on, or hazard-filled monstrosities packed with small patches of fairway and large patches of bodies of water or other penalty-inducing hazards to be immensely intimidated by. 

That isn't to say that the latest Everybody's Golf is a breeze to play through. While the Match Play competitors you'll face make a multitude of mistakes like errant shots and failed putts, later challengers provide quite the, well, challenge! It's not uncommon for miracle shots to be performed such as 150 yard chip-ins, though it's more dependent on if unrealistic rules like Mega Cups or Tornado Cups are used, where the latter sucks in nearby balls within a close proximity to the hole. The latter two courses (Everybody's Golf sadly only has five total courses included on the disc with three as rather pricey DLC) are a bit more unforgiving, making one really miss the relatively easygoing feeling of the first three courses.

One of many picturesque views of the second course introduced in Everybody's Golf, Alpina Forest.

A new mechanic to Everybody's Golf in this edition of the game is the ability to freely traverse courses as you explore, ride golf carts, and--once the ability is unlocked--fish around them. The online open course exploration allows players to meet up, converse, message, play rounds (or play any hole they like... repeatedly until they finally get that much desired condor they've been wanting--but enough about me), and more. There are even monthly tournaments where players around the globe compete to get the best score possible on that tournament's selected course and rules in order to earn exclusive prizes. 

Better hope your short game is up to snuff if you want that birdie, Phil!

Meanwhile, there are Turf Wars, though this mode isn't the most populated one in Everybody's Golf. Regardless, this mode provides players with a timer and the need to rush as they complete holes and traverse holes to get the lowest score between themselves. This can get absolutely insane when golf carts are smashing into one another and players speed through strokes to finish the round first while also hoping to score under par. It's just a shame that this mode isn't as popular as it should be, given how exciting it can be.

The artist formerly known as Hot Shots Golf (at least in North America), Everybody's Golf is a content-rich golf game that unlike past installments in the series features gameplay that is welcoming to both newbies to the franchise and veterans alike. The single player offers a bit of a grind, and the limited number of available courses that comes packaged with the game disappoints a little, but that notwithstanding, Everybody's Golf is golfing for the masses. Well, the masses that don't mind anime-inspired characters and some creative liberties with the sport.

[SPC Says: B]

Twisted Metal: Head-On (PSP) Retro Review

It's Sunday night here at SuperPhillip Central, and my weekend was spent working on my game (I moonlight as a game developer) and playing some games, too. One of these titles was a game in my PSP backlog, Twisted Metal: Head-On, my first foray into the franchise. For those that don't get the review tagline, here's a commercial to get you up to speed.

Head-On: Apply directly to the forehead?

Twisted Metal was a series I had rested on for a long time. There was something about the grim, dark, and edgy setting that just didn't appeal to me. However, when I had the chance to pick up the PSP installment of the series, Twisted Metal: Head-On, I jumped on it, as the game was incredibly inexpensive. Though the online servers are long gone, this first introduction to the Twisted Metal series for me has me already scouring eBay for other games with the Twisted Metal. Head-On was just that enjoyable. See why with my review.

Doing some research on the Twisted Metal franchise, I've learned that the main theme of each game has one of a wide cast of characters each with their own motivations for joining the Twisted Metal competition, a destruction derby of doom where opponents blast one another with high powered weaponry until there's one vehicle left remaining. A man named Calypso runs the competition, and he gives the winner of every year's Twisted Metal anything they wish for. However, as all of the endings of each participant show, these wishes are granted in a monkey paw style way. For instance, to spoil one of the dozen or so character endings, one character wishes for Calypso to bring back her sister. Calypso agrees, but the sister is brought back as a reanimated corpse, which horrifies the other sister.

The opening arena of Twisted Metal: Head-On, Big Blue Stadium. (No relation to F-Zero, of course.)

The main mode of Twisted Metal: Head-On is the story mode. This pits your chosen character (each with their own vehicle stats like handling and armor) through eleven levels of destruction derby delight, aiming to destroy your opponents before your three lives run out. Sprinkled throughout the traditional levels are three boss encounters that shake things up considerably.

Levels in Head-On are sprawling environments peppered with hidden areas, usually found by destroying a destructible wall. In this globe-trotting competition, you and your competitors will be blasting one another from Greece to Roman Ruins, the ancient pyramids of Egypt to sky high Tokyo rooftops.

Each level aside from boss stages hide one secret teleporter that takes you to a bonus mini-game. These mini-games house a multitude of varying challenge types like ramming into a bunch of taxis to destroy them, a platforming obstacle course where careful use of your vehicle's jumping ability is required, and a two-lap affair where you drive in oncoming traffic, needing to avoid passing cars in order to stay alive. The catch with these mini-games is that in order to unlock content like new characters and deathmatch arenas, you need to beat them under a specific target time.

The arenas are full of places to have epic showdowns and have plentiful hidden places.

As stated, Twisted Metal is a competition where you man a vehicle and aim to destroy every other competitor before they can destroy you. You do this by driving around expansive arenas, picking up weapons that lay about the environments, and shooting them at foes.

There are a great variety of , weapons, such as homing missiles, napalm bombs that are launched in an arc to land on top of foes with their blast radius, and ricocheting discs that bounce off walls, to name a few. Each item you pick up has a limited amount of ammo, so you'll need to constantly scrounge around each arena to get more to use on foes. Health pick-ups are important to remember the locations of in order to heal yourself when you take a lot of damage. All of these sub-weapons are used by pressing the L button while you can whittle away a competitor's vehicle with the R button's machine gun, which every vehicle has.

Nothing like glorious destruction to help wind down one's Sunday evening!

Depending on your character, each vehicle has a special move that is exclusive to that vehicle. For instance, the Twister conveniently enough unleashes a tornado that consumes all nearby racers, while the Roadkill can launch a powerful boomerang that returns to its users, as boomerangs tend to do. Unlike regular sub-weapons, special weapons regenerate over a short period of time automatically.

Sweet Tooth unleashes his special weapon, a deadly scoop of ice cream.

A lot of game series from the original PlayStation and PlayStation 2 don't hold up as well control-wise when they're placed on the PSP. This is because the PSP lacks a second set of shoulder buttons and most importantly a second analog stick (or in this case, a second nub). However, the Twisted Metal series doesn't suffer like so many other franchises given a portable entry. Driving the massive number of vehicles in Twisted Metal: Head-On feels and plays great. You use either the d-pad or the analog nub to move and accelerate, holding up to drive forward, back to go in reverse. Double taps of the X button results in your vehicle jumping, while a double tap of the Square button performs a nitro boost for getting away from problematic predicaments. I never had any trouble with the controls of Twisted Metal on PSP, and I was initially worried that I would because of the history of other PlayStation franchises moved to the PSP.

Early on in my review I mentioned how the online servers are no longer up for Head-On. However, if you have friends or family with an extra PSP and a copy of the game, you can still play Ad Hoc. However, if you're really looking for the best version of multiplayer for Twisted Metal: Head-On, check out the PlayStation 2 port of the game. It not only has two-player split-screen, but you can play multiplayer without multiple copies of the game (and the need for only one system). It's a much more affordable way to enjoy Head-On.

You may not be able to play Head-On's multiplayer online, but Ad Hoc is still available for local matches.

However, since Twisted Metal: Head-On's PSP version is so cheap to buy nowadays, it's more than worth getting for its single player modes. Sure, single player can become repetitive if you want to earn all of the entertaining character endings, and there may be dust on the fenders and a lot of tread on the tires, but overall, Twisted Metal: Head-On was a fantastic introduction to the series for me. I can't wait to get to experience more titles in this destruction derby lover's dream.

[SPC Says: B-]

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Pumped and Primed PlayStation Edition

After an atypical Friday edition, SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs probably didn't give you enough time to miss them. Still, they're back on this Monday evening for your listening pleasure. This week's edition is all PlayStation, all the time with five VGM volumes regarding PlayStation exclusive games.

We start out with some realism with Infamous: Second Son and God of War: Ascension. Then we end on a cartoon-y angle with music from Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal, LocoRoco 2, and Puppeteer. It's a mix of music from PlayStation platforms that should satisfy any want.

If you want to listen to any VGM volume previously spotlighted on SuperPhillip Central, look no further than the VGM Database.

v1071. Infamous: Second Son (PS4) - Owning the Future

We begin this PlayStation installment of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs with a series that hasn't been on the Favorite VGMs... until now. It's Infamous, and the game we're listening to a song from is the PlayStation 4's Second Son. While not the greatest the Infamous series or even Sucker Punch have to offer, the game was beautiful to behold and a blast to play.

v1072. God of War: Ascension (PS3) - Warrior's Truth

What's your opinion on the God of War franchise? Have you seen enough of Kratos and wish that Sony would take a different route with a new protagonist, or do you think Kratos is too iconic of a game character to replace? Whatever the case, you can bet with God of War you'll get a sensational and epic score, and that is no better exemplified than with Warrior's Truth from God of War: Ascension.

v1073. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PS2) - Veldin - Kyzil Plateau

Ratchet's home planet is the beginning to his adventure in the third Ratchet & Clank installment, Up Your Arsenal. The game had a more action-oriented tone to it, though it still possessed plenty of platforming charm for players to enjoy. David Bergeaud was the composer behind many early Ratchet & Clank soundtracks, and it's my honest opinion that the series' soundtracks didn't reach the same height as the earlier Bergeaud-composed scores.

v1074. LocoRoco 2 (PSP) - Etoule Pucoratte! (2)

Time to get goofy with this eccentric credits theme by the LocoRoco All-Stars. Whether they belong to the orange, green, red, blue, black, or whatever colored LocoRoco family, this song is a perfect wrap-up to the pure platforming goodness of LocoRoco's sequel.

v1075. Puppeteer (PS3) - Fire the Long Toms!

Ahoy there, mateys! This final song for this PlayStation-centric edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs comes from Puppeteer, a game that didn't get its fair shake, as it released around the PlayStation 4's launch. Still, if you can mind the constant interruptions to gameplay via the charming story, you'll most likely dig this 2.5D platformer.

Downhill Domination (PS2) Retro Review

Four minutes away from December 29th, and Santa Phil still has more presents for you good boys and girls. What is it this time? Why, it's a retro review of Downhill Domination, an often overlooked PlayStation 2 racer, of course. We're keeping the retro review train choo-chooing into the new year!

Downhill domination or damnation?

In the 32 and 64 bit eras of gaming, extreme sports games were all the rage, and leading the way was one name: Tony Hawk. Thus, a plethora of skateboarding games made their way onto both the original PlayStation and Nintendo 64. Then the next generation came and coming with it were different extreme sports like inline skating with Aggressive Inline, BMX bike riding, and snowboarding with the SSX series. What Incog Inc. Entertainment's (War of the Monsters and Twisted Metal: Black) Downhill Domination shares similarities with is SSX, but instead of shredding down a snow covered mountain with a snowboard, players ride mountain bikes down dangerous mountains and hills. It's a game that both makes me yearn for a return to this glorious era of gaming and one that I can't help but get frustrated at.

The star of the game is the various mountains on stage here. The main mountain races are quite lengthy, lasting anywhere between four to six minutes on a good run. They're all also full of character, each feeling an adventure you're taking from beginning to end. One of my favorite downhill runs has you going through towers, riding down spiral staircases, before you pass through a graveyard, then a series of ancient ruins, all before the final stretch where you blaze through the city streets of a coastal town. And this is all in just one race. The true fun and sheer joy of playing Downhill Domination's races is that each course is teeming with alternate pathways. It's never just one particular path you have to go. You're encouraged to travel off the beaten path (but not out-of-bounds) and take risks to discover killer shortcuts and impressive jump opportunities. Finding the best racing line is something that takes a little patience to perform, but when you finally do discover it, it's a truly rewarding feeling.

Ah! The choices! Which path to take?

Besides alternate paths, courses in Downhill Domination are littered with forests, fauna, rocks, logs, trees, wildlife, secret passages, shortcuts, and more to keep riders on alert and aware of their surroundings at all times. It's absolutely vital to keep your cool and your concentration. Of course, with the length of many of these courses in mind, you're bound to have an accident or two-- or twenty-- in a given run. Whether it's not landing from a jump properly, falling off the track, going out-of-bounds, or crashing into something, you'll be falling off your bike a lot. Thankfully, getting restored and back on the track is a fast enough process that you don't feel cheated when you crash.

Take this oil pipe for a risky shortcut, or just decide to play
it safe and ride underneath it.

Combining the downhill racing action of the SSX series and the combat of the Road Rash line of games, Downhill Domination plays and handles well. If you happen to have the need for speed, then this game will definitely provide it to you. The physics are well done, simulating what I can only help but assume would be how bikes, tires, and riders behave to the numerous obstacle and terrain types Downhill Domination has. Steering isn't too rigid nor too loose, either, offering a pleasant balance. Usually when you crash into something and fall off your bike, it's your fault and you're paying the price for it.

The moose is loose!

As you're rapidly pedaling like you've never pedaled before as you blaze a trail down the mountain, you have other worries to be concerned with. That is in the form of up to nine other opponents to deal with. This is where combat comes in. With a press of the Square button, you attack to your left, while a press of the Circle button unleashes your right fist, lashing out any foolhardy rider driving too close to you. As you continue to deliver the smack down to the unrighteous, your combat skills improve, allowing you to perform more powerful maneuvers like kicks and all the way to bottles that can be thrown, homing in on opponents. You can really hamper the progress of other riders, even knocking them off of their rides, but at the same time, combat is generally not used much because unless you stay with the pack, you'll either be too far ahead of everyone or eating their dust too much to be able to utilize it. Plus, you'll often crash in a race, and this takes your current weapon level in the race and instantly lowers it.

Let's just say this racer isn't looking to bump fists.

Your downhill daredevil has several meters to be on the look out for, such as a green series of dots that show his or her energy. When it has some juice in it, you can double tap the X button to speed up. However, this eats up the gauge quite quickly. However, through pulling off tricks, reaching checkpoints, and collecting green-colored power-ups (one of many power-up types in the game), your gauge gets replenished.

Tricks aren't the most engaging aspect to Downhill Domination's gameplay, but they're satisfying to pull off all the same. That notwithstanding, most tracks aren't meant for you to unleash the trick beast and perform trick after trick. They're just not designed that way and intentionally so. The courses are designed well this way (and as you read earlier, many other ways, too) in the regard that you have to learn the courses to figure out when it's best to trick, and where it's best to trick from. You eventually find your preferred racing line.

Sure, they're showing off, but if you have it, use it!

Still, actually doing tricks is quite simple that even I could do it. When in the air, you can press and hold down a different combination of the shoulder buttons, perform spins and flips midair, to not only give your rider green energy in their gauge, but also to earn points. Points are tallied up at the end of runs , and these transfer over to cold hard cash (also earned from taking out opponents and from what place you finish at) to invest in the bike shop.

The bike shop sports a large variety of things to purchase and unlock. There is stuff that is a no-brainer to have a bike shop like being able to upgrade bikes-- whether it be different models, colors, new tires, etc., purchasing new items, or buying special new features for the game.

There is a sizable sum of playable riders to choose from, though all of them are pretty much derivative vanilla characters whose only real difference is what dialogue they repeatedly squawk mid-race. Each character is also not the greatest to look at, showing that Incog Inc. Entertainment took most of their time giving personality to the courses themselves and not so much the riders that blaze down them.

While the characters don't exactly excite, the amount of single player options for each rider is truly incredible. The main meat and potatoes of Downhill Domination's solo campaign is the Super Career. This puts you in a series of over two dozen events to try to earn enough points in one event to reach the next. Not only are there traditional races where you go down the main course of each of the game's nine mega mountains, but there are other event types, too. One is the mountain cross series of events that are much shorter affairs where you ride up and down moguls, hills, and bumps while tackling tricky and tight turns. The other is the technical downhill series of events where the paths down the mountain are much narrower and require extreme precision to get a leg up on your opponents. You can even pursue individual career types that feature all one type of races, such as free ride (regular races down a long mountain course) or technical downhill.

Time to hit the old dusty trail.

Downhill Domination looks the part of an extreme sports bike racer. Fortunately, for a game that is so superbly fast, you can usually see what's coming ahead of you. This is thanks in part to the phenomenal draw distance. Sure, the camera can be a bit slow at adjusting its angle when you make a steep turn, but overall, seeing upcoming hazards isn't too much of an issue. The mountains are insanely detailed, supporting a dense amount of objects, from rampaging wildlife that can cause you to bail like nobody's business to poor tourists who can get run down by passing racers. The sound of the game can be a bit grating, especially with the repetitive voice clips given by each racer. No, Cosmo. I don't care if you can go even higher next time. You're not four years-old, on a swing set, and I'm not your daddy. Meanwhile, the music is a collection of licensed alternative rock, rap, and hip-hop, the usually fare in an extreme sports game like this one.

In first-person view, you can really see what's coming ahead at you.

Coasting down a mountain with trees, rocks, and wildlife soaring past you; leaping from a high peak, over a crevasse, and into a cavern below; and letting out your frustrations from the day by beating down on your rival riders are all reasons enough to look into Downhill Domination. The game is a pure adrenaline rush and a wild ride. There are some nagging issues that bring down the experience overall, but ultimately Downhill Domination is satisfying to play. By putting the game disc into your PS2, you'll soon realize it's all downhill from here, but rest assured, that's a good thing.

[SPC Says: B+]

Ape Escape 3 (PS2) Retro Review

Once again from SuperPhillip Central, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! This is a season of giving, so I'm going to give some more to you guys and gals, my readers! It's a retro review of Ape Escape 3, a PlayStation 2 game from 2006. Next month, the game will have its tenth birthday here in North America. Seems like a good reason as any to take a look at this title, then!

Monkey See, Monkey Catch

I came to the Ape Escape series quite late, with my first entry being the PSP port of the original Ape Escape. Since playing that game and very much enjoying it, I quickly attempted to seek out the other installments of this underrated Sony gaming series. Now, I have reached Ape Escape 3, and with it celebrating its ten-year anniversary in North America next month, there is no better time to get funky with these monkeys.

The basic premise of Ape Escape 3 has the main villain of the series and highly intelligent monkey, Specter, coming up with a new plan to try to take over the world. This time his monkey cohorts have created a series of television stations to put their viewers into a drooling daze. Thankfully, not every human is under Specter's television station spell, and heroes Kei and Yumi (you're able to choose between which character you want to play as at the beginning of the game) set out to take down each of Specter's television stations broadcasting monkey mayhem. With each station under watch by a member of the Freaky Monkey Five, the adventure is going to be no cakewalk.

Ape Escape 3 utilizes full motion video cutscenes, using more intricate character models than what is seen in-game. The movie direction is competent enough, and the voice acting is suitably cheesy, as is the dialogue. This is a very kid-friendly game, from its story to its gameplay.

As for the gameplay, Ape Escape 3 follows the same structure of past Ape Escape games. You enter a level with a set of tools that increases as you progress through the game. The goal is to capture a set number of monkeys strewn about more and more complicated levels. At first you'll enter smaller, more linear levels, but by the end of the game, you'll be traveling through multi-room, multi-level, and hidden area-filled, expansive levels. If you're looking for a heavy challenge, Dark Souls this ain't.

Yikes! Mad monkey on the loose!

Controlling your character of choice feels good for the most part, but there is a learning curve to be had. You don't jump with a face button-- instead, you utilize either the R1 or R2 shoulder buttons. Both characters have the ability to double jump, though there is a moment after initializing a jump where you can no longer do a double jump. This gave me a few aggravations, as I was thinking I'd have enough clearance to leap over a chasm, only to not have a double jump register because I hit the jump button for the second time a split second too late. Furthermore, anything concerning vehicles like tanks, robots, and boats controls horribly. The decision to utilize a dual analog control scheme and only a dual analog control scheme for vehicles was not the smartest idea by the developers. While these sections in Ape Escape 3 didn't cause me to curse in frustration due to cheap hits or deaths, they made for moments where I was just befuddled by the fussy and complicated controls.

You might regret doing this, Kei.

Every tool used in Ape Escape 3 is done so with the right analog stick. Swiping the stick in a given direction uses the tool in the same direction. This takes some getting used to, especially with the net. Having a monkey on your right side means you should try to flick the analog stick to the right as well in hopes of catching your banana-munching prey.

You start off with a modest amount of tools available to you. Just a stun club and a net to capture monkeys. However, as you play on through Ape Escape 3, you gain more equipment to help out in tracking down monkeys. You're even able to return to past levels to reach areas that you were previously unable to because of a lack of a given tool. The amount of tools is lesser than past Ape Escape games, but what you do get is helpful nonetheless.

No worries. I'm not going to say "I told you so."

There are advantageous tools like a radar that hones in on general locations of hiding monkeys, a ring that when the right analog stick is rotated makes for a speedy way to get around levels as well as a means to take down foes, a slingshot to hit faraway panels and to knock down monkeys from high places, and there is also an RC car, great for getting into small alcoves that either character isn't able to fit inside.

One really cool example of how the RC car is implemented has you controlling the car with the right analog stick through a countryside diorama. You can easily see what's going on as the action all plays out under the glass floor your character is standing on. As you make progress with your RC car along a curvy road, your character needs to press and hold down switches to change the direction of the bridges, allowing the RC car to cross them. The whole affair leads to the RC car scaring a monkey from its hiding spot, allowing you to attempt to catch it.

It's not just the RC car that sees action in Ape Escape 3. Each tool in the game is put to good use, and you're never just relying on one or two tools throughout the game. Each one has a benefit to using it, and even though you can only have a tool assigned to each face button, changing tools is a breeze. There is no real burden to be found when you have to switch between a tool that is assigned to a face button and one that is not.

Nothing like a stun club to the face to ruin this monkey groom's wedding.

Despite the smaller than usual amount of tools used in Ape Escape 3, there is a new set of abilities that allow you to morph into various forms for a limited amount of time. From a shield-wielding knight that can push through fire like it was the wind to a otaku-styled superhero that can dash through the air, the morph abilities are very cool, offering an easier way of catching monkeys. The "catch" here is that you have up to thirty seconds in a gauge to use. Through obtaining green batches of energy, you can add seconds to the gauge. However, thirty seconds is always the max the gauge can be at.

One of seven different morph forms Kei or Yumi can take.

With all of these tools and morph abilities to utilize in Ape Escape 3, the means of finding, coaxing out, and finally catching the monkeys that horseplay around the game's levels are highly varied. Some require you to search high and low in hidden alcoves and rooms for monkeys, while others require multiple steps. Then there are some that are just plain old right out in the open. Don't think they'll just surrender without a fight (or a run in most cases). With over 400 monkeys to ascertain their whereabouts and nab them with your net, you're going to be in this for the long haul. It's just great that the game is one that is a lot of fun to play that you won't mind sinking tons of hours into it.

This girl means serious business when there are monkeys to catch.

If you haven't guessed, then, there is A LOT to do in Ape Escape 3. So much so that when you initially beat the game, you're only at around 50% completion. Through beating all of the Freaky Monkey Five twice and capturing every monkey in the game, you finally get to have the second go-round with Specter, the true final boss of the game. Even after he's defeated and captured, there are still time attacks to do. These have you try to speed through a level, capturing the specific number of monkeys as fast as possible in order to receive a bronze, silver, or gold trophy. Throw in tons of items and collectibles like music, videos, and even a Metal Gear Solid monkey-centric mini-game made by the developers of the series themselves, and you have plenty to monkey around with.

This sneaking mission might turn into a snacking one
if this monkey starts gobbling up those bananas.

Ape Escape 3 turned out to be an engaging game from beginning to 100% completion. It offered me about 10 hours of solid enjoyment, no filler, mostly nonlinear levels to indulge in and explore, and a really wacky sense of humor to coat the entire package. While the controls and sometimes problematic camera make for occasional headaches, there is no denying that for me, Ape Escape 3 was more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

[SPC Says: B+]

SPC Soapbox - 2/14/15 No Love Lost for Peter Molyneux Edition

The last time I stood on the SPC Soapbox it was around E3 time last year. I'm making up for lost time with three new subjects that will probably show that I have no idea what I'm talking about. Hopefully not, though! This Soapbox segment's topics deal with the recent RockPaperShotgun interview with subject Peter Molyneux, Nintendo's YouTube strategy and how it is ticking off users, and what I consider to be one of the greatest deals in video games today. Let's get to the topics!

- RockPaperShotgun's interview with Peter Molyneux

"It's not a lie if you believe it." I've seen this excuse from Peter Molyneux apologists used in a totally un-ironic manner. The difference between a big publisher or developer promising the moon with its new game and misleading people who have a direct tie to the project is because the latter helped fund your desired game. Misinforming your backers is a truly reprehensible thing to do, and it's something that Peter Molyneux knowingly did yet has an ego so large that he wouldn't admit to doing it.

Instead, in the interview with RockPaperShotgun, Molyneux pussyfooted around John Walker's questions, using mental gymnastics to avoid admitting that he mislead backers and even going so far to repeatedly state that he doesn't think he lies, despite mounting evidence from Walker's line of questioning.

Regarding the harshness of the interview, I am of the position that in an industry where coddling and being buddy-buddy with developers and publishers is a common sight to see, it was mighty refreshing to see an interviewer find their courage and take someone who deserved it to task-- a person with a history of blatant falsehoods hiding behind an "I don't think I lie" defense, despite all of the evidence showing the opposite.

There seems to be a cultural confusion between where I live, the United States, and where John Walker's investigative journalism come from, the U.K. In the U.K. it is a very common occurrence to see journalists put their subjects through the wringer when they screw up in a public fashion. In that sense, it wasn't anything out of the ordinary for the U.K. line of journalism. Obviously it was harsh in an American sense where we have "hard-hitting" journalists like Geoff Keighley asking questions like, "How awesome is your game?" with a response from the developer being, "So awesome." Yes, that was a nod to a Penny Arcade comic of all things.

Again, it was a breath of fresh air to see a video game journalist actually ask the tough questions and not let their subject weasel out of them with mental gymnastics and weak follow-up questions. It is for these reasons that I can't help but applaud John Walker for the interview he did with Peter Molyneux. It was a long time coming, and it was so worth waiting for to see someone take on Mr. Molyneux and his web of falsehoods.

- Nintendo's program for YouTube users

There has been a lot of whining over Nintendo's YouTube policy and not wanting its games to be shown on YouTube without getting a cut of YouTuber's profits. YouTuber's find Nintendo's approach greedy and a stab in the back to its fans. I liken what YouTubers are doing to uploading a full Hollywood movie on YouTube with the only change being commentary over it. These are the same people complaining about not being able to get all of the revenue from fully showing Nintendo video games that happily receive free stuff from the company in the form of systems and games. It's biting the hand that feeds them in a sense, and it comes off as highly greedy and selfish, ironically the same thing these YouTubers are claiming Nintendo to be.

There is no question that I find most YouTube gaming personalities abhorrently obnoxious. Seriously, how many rape jokes, angry, raging gamers, and loud voices does an industry need that we don't already have enough of? However, that said, despite liking the idea of Nintendo sticking it to these people who like to make money off Nintendo's games, it's not done in a way that makes logical sense. Nintendo has a meager amount of games that can have videos based off of, and the cut for these videos is a little too much that Nintendo takes. It makes the idea of making videos of Nintendo content very unappealing, which limits the amount of content shown. It's a lose-lose for Nintendo, and until the company figures out how to not neglect its fans in this regard, it will continue to fight a losing battle.

- One of the greatest deals in gaming

Sony may have a current-gen system that is at this time unappealing to me. However, the company also has one of the greatest deals in gaming, and that is none other than PlayStation Plus. With this subscription initiative, not only can you back up your saves to Sony's cloud, but each month you get a nice sampling of some of the content Sony platforms (the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita) receive through free games.

One such game this month was Kick & Fennick, a game I reviewed earlier this month, and it is a 2D platformer with an ingenious mechanic involving a gun that has Kick shooting the weapon to have the recoil of it launch him to higher locations, serving as the game's jump mechanic. It's the type of game that many might have overlooked without it being a free game this month for PlayStation Plus subscribers.

Of course, not only are new indie games listed each month for PlayStation Plus subscribers, but so are digital versions of fully-fledged retail titles. It's amazing that subscribers can get and download $20, $30, $40, and on releases for free-- well, not technically for free, but free with a PS+ subscription. You get to keep these games as long as you have a subscription. It's all these reasons why PlayStation Plus is a must have for any PlayStation console owner. It's truly a fantastic steal of a deal.

Ape Escape: On the Loose (PSP) Retro Review

Earlier this week I covered a game that started one of my favorite PlayStation franchises of all time. Today I cover the first game of a PlayStation franchise that I can't wait to play more games in the series. It's Ape Escape, and here is a decade's old port of that game that launched with the PSP, Ape Escape: On the Loose.

Catch Them If You Can

Ape Escape initially released on the original PlayStation in 1999. The game was the first on the system to require the dual analog controller that debuted approximately halfway in the PS1's life. Imagine if you will, taking that game, putting it on a system with just one analog input, and releasing as an enhanced port as a launch title. It's a recipe for disaster, right? However, Ape Escape: On the Loose, even being hurt a little by the lack of dual analogs, is an engaging game that is worth the time to play. Here's why.

On the Loose begins with a white-haired monkey named Specter putting on a special helmet that greatly increases his intelligence while also twisting his mind. He uses his added smarts to create helmets for over 200 monkeys and attacks a local laboratory which houses a time machine. Childhood friends Spike and Jake arrive on the scene and along with the monkeys are transported back in time to various periods. Knowing this monkey madness could negatively alter the course of history, the Professor asks Spike to capture as many monkeys as possible, stop Specter, and rescue Jake from Specter's mind control.

Come here, you blasted rabbit!
....Wait. I'm thinking of something else.

There are seven worlds within Ape Escape: On the Loose-- most of which with three levels apiece-- and they put Spike within a wide variety of time periods and locales. From the age of the dinosaurs to the Medieval period, there are a large range of environments and levels for Spike to traverse and capture monkeys in.

The Time Station is the hub of Ape Escape.

Thankfully, Spike isn't left all to his lonesome to nab the mischievous monkeys littered throughout time. The Professor sends numerous helpful gadgets to Spike throughout the game, one usually per world. Through completing a simple training level for the player to get accustomed to a given gadget, Spike earns that necessary tool to assist him on his quest to capture the antagonizing apes.

There are eight gadgets in all for Spike to acquire throughout his journey through time. Each has its own use and are implemented in such a way that they aren't utilized just once and then never seen again. There is a slingshot-type gadget that not only can take down airborne enemies, but it can also hit faraway buttons to turn on machinery, such as elevators and doors. The Super Hoop allows Spike to move faster on land, great for crossing bridges that fall apart once our hero steps foot on them so he doesn't fall with the bridge. Then there's the Sky Flyer, which without question is the most useful gadget in the game. It offers the ability for Spike to reach higher platforms that would otherwise be impossible, perfect for exploration of levels.

Spike takes his new Sky Flyer out for a spin.

Levels themselves start out with but a handful of monkeys to collect. By the end of the game, there are levels that house up to 30 individual monkeys. Each level only requires Spike to capture a set amount of monkeys before he can move on to the next level, but in order to reach the true ending of Ape Escape: On the Loose, all 204 missing monkeys must be collected. This means that returning to levels is a must, especially because Spike won't have every gadget in his possession until the Specter has been beaten the first go-around. Returning to past haunts (i.e. already beaten levels) with newer gadgets opens up areas that Spike could not have reached before and monkeys that were once out of his capturing ability.

Return to older levels with newer gadgets
to explore places you couldn't before.

Speaking of which, capturing each ape within On the Loose is like its own puzzle. The player has to find a way to reach each ape, coax him or her out, and use the correct gadget to accomplish the task of nabbing the monkey in question. Capturing monkeys in general can be done in a wide variety of ways. Players can have Spike sneak up on unbeknownst monkeys, slowly pushing the PSP's analog nub forward and holding still when an ape gets paranoid, similar to a game of "red light, green light". Spike can also crawl with the R button held down to creep upon apes asleep or with their backs turned to him. Finally, there is my favorite method of disposal, running to a monkey, bashing them on the head with a stun club, and capturing them with Spike's net while they are temporarily dazed.

The alarm on the helmet of each monkey
displays their current level of alert.

The analog nub on the PSP is a detriment to On the Loose. It does not offer anywhere near the precision of the PS1's analog stick. Many times I would swing my Time Net at a predisposed monkey only to have my net miss its target by about 45 degrees. While this isn't so annoying in the story mode, doing time trials where you have to beat a specific time to pass them, makes missing monkeys so narrowly and stupidly very irritating.

For those who have played the PS1 original Ape Escape, the obvious removal in the controls is that of the second analog stick. Instead, gadgets are mapped to the face buttons-- with the exception of X, which is used to jump. Simply pressing Select brings up the Gadget Menu, which makes for quick switching between the gadgets mapped to the face buttons and those not selected.

Fog? You can tell this was originally
a PS1 game, can't you!

The lack of a second analog stick on the PSP means that camera control is relegated to the d-pad for direct control and the L button for a quick behind-the-back view at any time. The one caveat with this arrangement is that the L button is also used for the first-person view, used when aiming and for just looking around at the environment. One required me to tap the button while the other forced me to hold the button down. In the middle of play, I oftentimes performed one action when I wanted to do the other.

Caveats aside, completing Ape Escape: On the Loose with a full 100% completion percentage is no easy task. Finding and capturing every ape is a challenge all to itself, but then there are time trials to pass in each level and Specter Coins to collect which unlock one of four mini-games, a snowboarding game, a boxing game, a racing game, and a ping-pong game. These can be played locally or online, and the latter is still available to use, though good luck finding anyone randomly online.

There's no time to monkey around, Spike!
There's a time limit to beat!

On the Loose was one of the more basic looking launch titles of the PlayStation Portable, but the game's graphics still look pleasant enough. The frame-rate has some issues occasionally; and the camera reveals things through a level's geometry and walls, but it's still a competent game technologically. The music is unchanged, but I struggle to remember a theme after a total of twenty hours of play time. The voice work is typical Saturday morning cartoon fare, but the actual dialogue is mediocre at best and the stuff that made me cringe at worst.

Ape Escape: On the Loose may not surpass the quality of the original PlayStation Ape Escape, but the developers used what they had button-wise to create this highly capable and fun enhanced port. It's a return to a game that was entertaining when it released, and it is still entertaining now. Now, if you'll excuse me, all this playing of the PSP port has me wanting to dive into some more monkey madness with later games in the Ape Escape series!

[SPC Says: 8.0/10]