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Resident Evil 4 (GC) (5 years ago)
Resident Evil 4 is the latest addition to Capcom’s controversial survival-horror series, one that has slowly aged into a stale and archaic formula. Instead of trying to improve on the existing mechanics in the series, the Japanese studio has made an ambitious attempt to revitalise the series. It’s no longer pre-rendered. There are no more static camera angles. There are no zombies. Instead, Capcom has offered a truly unique take on the franchise and in doing so has masterfully created one of the best experiences you will ever find on a console.
Resident Evil 4 takes place six years after the chaotic events that occurred in Raccoon City. The Umbrella Corporation has been dismantled and rendered into anonymity as a result of the US Government nuking the dreary location and severing ties with the company. Once-rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy, who has now become a charismatic and highly able Government agent, is sent to a remote area of Europe on a mission to retrieve the President’s missing daughter. Naturally, things don’t exactly to plan.
There’s little easing into the mechanics of Resident Evil 4. Within a few minutes of beginning the game, players will find themselves face-to-face with menacing villagers, all of whom seem focussed only on Leon’s immediate death. Some may complain about being forced into the thick of the action so quickly, but in the end, this allows the player to become quickly accustomed to how the game plays, and how the enemies should be approached. Indeed, these vicious beings are very dangerous and tend to hunt in packs, making them even more formidable. It is this fear that is abundant within the game. Rather than focussing on scripted scares like previous titles in the series, Resident Evil 4 focuses on creating an unmatched sense of urgency and panic. Having countless villagers breathing down your neck as you run away in fear is a truly unique experience, and this feeling of despair is what Resident Evil 4 manages to perfect. No doubt about it, Resident Evil 4 takes survival horror to foreign but incredible levels, delivering a heart-pumpingly frightening experience. Especially when you’ve run out of ammo.
It is natural that some people, specifically die-hard fans of the series, may not agree with the direction that Resident Evil 4 takes. In some ways their fears are justified, as the game fails to provide the shocks and scares that made the series popular in the first place. Sure, there are some scary set-pieces from time to time, but it is the sense of exigency that makes Resident Evil 4 what it is. It may not follow many of the series’ staple conventions, but by taking a sharp detour, the game completely overshadows any other Resident Evil title.
Resident Evil 4’s controls are a definite improvement over the clunky mechanics of past games in the series. The over-the-shoulder viewpoint does wonders for the game, introducing a whole new concept to the gameplay. By holding the R-button, Leon will aim his current weapon, allowing for full analogue control by directing the gun’s laser sight towards the enemy. In many ways, this new addition completely changes the gunplay because Leon can target his weapon at any part of the enemy’s body. Aim at their knees, and they will kneel on the ground, allowing Leon to run up and kick them by pressing the A button. Point at their head and it will likely explode in a fountain of blood and organs. The mechanic allows for strategic gameplay that is not only intuitive, but also highly satisfying. Rest assured, Resident Evil provides outstanding gunplay. If one can complain about the gameplay aside from control issues, it’s that these moments are sometimes broken up by awkward puzzles. These puzzles do allow for a much-needed breather, but on the other hand, are quite redundant and feel like fan service rather than an integral part of the game.
Resident Evil 4 also offers fantastic context-sensitive actions. If Leon comes within close proximity to specific items or enemies, an on-screen indicator will allow the player to press A to initiate an action or event. For example, by pressing A near a ladder, Leon can kick the ladder down and cause any climbing enemies to fall to their doom. Through this neat addition, Leon can also jump through windows, dodge certain enemy attacks, leap off buildings, and even suplex monks. It’s a subtle but highly effective appendage that makes Resident Evil 4’s gameplay more dynamic and enjoyable.
Disappointingly, in other ways the controls fail to significantly improve from past efforts. For instance, Leon does not have true analogue control, and at times movement can feel clumsy. Furthermore, the game lacks a strafe or dodge function, and whilst this does allow for a heightened sense of hopelessness, there are points in the game where this would have been a welcomed addition. You’ll commonly find that an enemy will hurt you simply because you couldn’t move away from him (or her) quick enough. One last complaint about the controls is the absence of quick weapon changing. Instead of logically using the D-pad to sort through weapons, the player must pause the game by pressing Y to access the inventory and select an item. Whilst certainly not a game-breaker, a more efficient method would have been welcomed to improve the flow of gunplay. However, for the most part the controls in Resident Evil 4 are a definite improvement over previous games in the series, and these enhancements cannot be underestimated in importance.
Resident Evil 4 also makes other improvements over past efforts in the series. For example, the save system is now much more user-friendly, as Capcom has thankfully eliminated the clumsy ribbon-based method that hurt the previous games. Instead, players can now save whenever they want to by utilising typewriters that are conveniently placed across the game’s world. Expedient checkpoints are also strewn throughout the game, and players will appreciate that these points are very well placed, as dying in the game will not force them to repeat long sections of the game. On the flipside, these points are placed far enough away that dying is still slightly frustrating, and this is certainly welcomed. The game also introduces a unique RPG-like strategy to the game in the form of the Merchants. These are shadowy individuals who, by giving them treasures and money found throughout the game’s varied environments, will supply Leon with various new weapons, as well as upgrades to existing weaponry. This highly satisfying feature is also furthered by the inventory slot, which has restricted sizes until Leon expand them by purchasing larger cases. This injects more strategy into the game, as the player must decide which items and weapons are worth keeping, and which ones must be left out. It’s certainly distinctive and new to the series, but is an excellent addition that only makes the game even more enjoyable.
Resident Evil 4 contains a multitude of events that you’ll likely remember for a long time. Whether it be the first time you meet a Chainsaw Maniac, or the fantastically designed boss fights, or the surprisingly varied gameplay scenarios, Resident Evil 4 delivers an incredible number of breathtaking moments that you’ll never forget. The game is sufficiently long, as most players will take around 15-20 hours to complete the adventure. The amazing thing is that Capcom has not artificially extended the length of the game. There is little redundant backtracking. Instead, the game keeps providing outstanding gameplay challenges from ever angle, ensuring that the excitement and action rarely drops. The game also offers incentives to keep playing once you have finished the main campaign, further enhancing the replay value.
Not only is Resident Evil 4 one of the greatest experiences of the sixth generation-era, it is also one of the most visually impressive. Capcom has masterfully combined both artistic and technical excellence into a product that is the best looking on the Gamecube, and quite possibly of its generation. The developers have used many graphical techniques to make Resident Evil 4 as immersive as possible. Character models sport fantastic levels of detail, fire and water effects are some of the best going around, and the motion capture animation is fantastic to witness. The amazing presentation allows for a truly absorbing and atmospheric experience from start to end. Resident Evil 4 also features incredible levels of gore that undeniably add to the game. The particle effects system is incredibly solid, making headshots incredibly satisfying as blood and guts rain all around your victims. Naturally, Leon can also fall victim to his enemies’ attacks, and the range of these deaths cannot be underestimated. Some deaths truly have to be seen to be believed. Furthermore, the environments are so well designed that each area feels unique and distinctive, as well as highly aesthetically impressive. The game also runs at 30 frames per second and rarely dips, even when the action becomes ridiculously chaotic. The game does feature some ugly textures that highlight that system’s limitations, and the letterboxed perspective is a disappointment, but for the most part, Resident Evil 4 is an amazing graphical achievement.
The audio in Resident Evil 4 is also of very high quality. Unlike past Resident Evil titles, Resident Evil 4 features impressively believable voice actors that help make the game even more cinematic. There are some odd pieces of dialogue, but for the most part, the series has made significant improvement in this area. Sound effects are also well produced, with satisfying screeches, moans, screams, booms and yells, all of which add to the game’s ability to immerse the player. The soundtrack is not overly memorable, but contains an effective blend of subtle and pounding scores that competently suit each situation. If one noteworthy complaint can be made against the game’s audio, it’s that the music fades whenever a room has been cleared of enemies. This is unfortunate at it eliminates any tension and uncertainty that would have otherwise remained.
Resident Evil 4 is not without its flaws, but it undeniably provides a much-needed injection of life into the fading series. By completely changing the mechanics of the franchise, Resident Evil 4 truly delivers some of the most thrilling and heart-pounding gaming you will ever encounter. The improved controls still aren’t perfect, and some aspects of the game fall short of greatness, but ultimately this is one of the finest games ever produced. Capcom has not only revitalised the Resident Evil; it has raised the standards for action games to follow. Resident Evil 4 is simply one of the most exciting and intense experiences in the history of gaming.
Overall score: 9.6/10
Feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Resident Evil 4 takes place six years after the chaotic events that occurred in Raccoon City. The Umbrella Corporation has been dismantled and rendered into anonymity as a result of the US Government nuking the dreary location and severing ties with the company. Once-rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy, who has now become a charismatic and highly able Government agent, is sent to a remote area of Europe on a mission to retrieve the President’s missing daughter. Naturally, things don’t exactly to plan.
There’s little easing into the mechanics of Resident Evil 4. Within a few minutes of beginning the game, players will find themselves face-to-face with menacing villagers, all of whom seem focussed only on Leon’s immediate death. Some may complain about being forced into the thick of the action so quickly, but in the end, this allows the player to become quickly accustomed to how the game plays, and how the enemies should be approached. Indeed, these vicious beings are very dangerous and tend to hunt in packs, making them even more formidable. It is this fear that is abundant within the game. Rather than focussing on scripted scares like previous titles in the series, Resident Evil 4 focuses on creating an unmatched sense of urgency and panic. Having countless villagers breathing down your neck as you run away in fear is a truly unique experience, and this feeling of despair is what Resident Evil 4 manages to perfect. No doubt about it, Resident Evil 4 takes survival horror to foreign but incredible levels, delivering a heart-pumpingly frightening experience. Especially when you’ve run out of ammo.
It is natural that some people, specifically die-hard fans of the series, may not agree with the direction that Resident Evil 4 takes. In some ways their fears are justified, as the game fails to provide the shocks and scares that made the series popular in the first place. Sure, there are some scary set-pieces from time to time, but it is the sense of exigency that makes Resident Evil 4 what it is. It may not follow many of the series’ staple conventions, but by taking a sharp detour, the game completely overshadows any other Resident Evil title.
Resident Evil 4’s controls are a definite improvement over the clunky mechanics of past games in the series. The over-the-shoulder viewpoint does wonders for the game, introducing a whole new concept to the gameplay. By holding the R-button, Leon will aim his current weapon, allowing for full analogue control by directing the gun’s laser sight towards the enemy. In many ways, this new addition completely changes the gunplay because Leon can target his weapon at any part of the enemy’s body. Aim at their knees, and they will kneel on the ground, allowing Leon to run up and kick them by pressing the A button. Point at their head and it will likely explode in a fountain of blood and organs. The mechanic allows for strategic gameplay that is not only intuitive, but also highly satisfying. Rest assured, Resident Evil provides outstanding gunplay. If one can complain about the gameplay aside from control issues, it’s that these moments are sometimes broken up by awkward puzzles. These puzzles do allow for a much-needed breather, but on the other hand, are quite redundant and feel like fan service rather than an integral part of the game.
Resident Evil 4 also offers fantastic context-sensitive actions. If Leon comes within close proximity to specific items or enemies, an on-screen indicator will allow the player to press A to initiate an action or event. For example, by pressing A near a ladder, Leon can kick the ladder down and cause any climbing enemies to fall to their doom. Through this neat addition, Leon can also jump through windows, dodge certain enemy attacks, leap off buildings, and even suplex monks. It’s a subtle but highly effective appendage that makes Resident Evil 4’s gameplay more dynamic and enjoyable.
Disappointingly, in other ways the controls fail to significantly improve from past efforts. For instance, Leon does not have true analogue control, and at times movement can feel clumsy. Furthermore, the game lacks a strafe or dodge function, and whilst this does allow for a heightened sense of hopelessness, there are points in the game where this would have been a welcomed addition. You’ll commonly find that an enemy will hurt you simply because you couldn’t move away from him (or her) quick enough. One last complaint about the controls is the absence of quick weapon changing. Instead of logically using the D-pad to sort through weapons, the player must pause the game by pressing Y to access the inventory and select an item. Whilst certainly not a game-breaker, a more efficient method would have been welcomed to improve the flow of gunplay. However, for the most part the controls in Resident Evil 4 are a definite improvement over previous games in the series, and these enhancements cannot be underestimated in importance.
Resident Evil 4 also makes other improvements over past efforts in the series. For example, the save system is now much more user-friendly, as Capcom has thankfully eliminated the clumsy ribbon-based method that hurt the previous games. Instead, players can now save whenever they want to by utilising typewriters that are conveniently placed across the game’s world. Expedient checkpoints are also strewn throughout the game, and players will appreciate that these points are very well placed, as dying in the game will not force them to repeat long sections of the game. On the flipside, these points are placed far enough away that dying is still slightly frustrating, and this is certainly welcomed. The game also introduces a unique RPG-like strategy to the game in the form of the Merchants. These are shadowy individuals who, by giving them treasures and money found throughout the game’s varied environments, will supply Leon with various new weapons, as well as upgrades to existing weaponry. This highly satisfying feature is also furthered by the inventory slot, which has restricted sizes until Leon expand them by purchasing larger cases. This injects more strategy into the game, as the player must decide which items and weapons are worth keeping, and which ones must be left out. It’s certainly distinctive and new to the series, but is an excellent addition that only makes the game even more enjoyable.
Resident Evil 4 contains a multitude of events that you’ll likely remember for a long time. Whether it be the first time you meet a Chainsaw Maniac, or the fantastically designed boss fights, or the surprisingly varied gameplay scenarios, Resident Evil 4 delivers an incredible number of breathtaking moments that you’ll never forget. The game is sufficiently long, as most players will take around 15-20 hours to complete the adventure. The amazing thing is that Capcom has not artificially extended the length of the game. There is little redundant backtracking. Instead, the game keeps providing outstanding gameplay challenges from ever angle, ensuring that the excitement and action rarely drops. The game also offers incentives to keep playing once you have finished the main campaign, further enhancing the replay value.
Not only is Resident Evil 4 one of the greatest experiences of the sixth generation-era, it is also one of the most visually impressive. Capcom has masterfully combined both artistic and technical excellence into a product that is the best looking on the Gamecube, and quite possibly of its generation. The developers have used many graphical techniques to make Resident Evil 4 as immersive as possible. Character models sport fantastic levels of detail, fire and water effects are some of the best going around, and the motion capture animation is fantastic to witness. The amazing presentation allows for a truly absorbing and atmospheric experience from start to end. Resident Evil 4 also features incredible levels of gore that undeniably add to the game. The particle effects system is incredibly solid, making headshots incredibly satisfying as blood and guts rain all around your victims. Naturally, Leon can also fall victim to his enemies’ attacks, and the range of these deaths cannot be underestimated. Some deaths truly have to be seen to be believed. Furthermore, the environments are so well designed that each area feels unique and distinctive, as well as highly aesthetically impressive. The game also runs at 30 frames per second and rarely dips, even when the action becomes ridiculously chaotic. The game does feature some ugly textures that highlight that system’s limitations, and the letterboxed perspective is a disappointment, but for the most part, Resident Evil 4 is an amazing graphical achievement.
The audio in Resident Evil 4 is also of very high quality. Unlike past Resident Evil titles, Resident Evil 4 features impressively believable voice actors that help make the game even more cinematic. There are some odd pieces of dialogue, but for the most part, the series has made significant improvement in this area. Sound effects are also well produced, with satisfying screeches, moans, screams, booms and yells, all of which add to the game’s ability to immerse the player. The soundtrack is not overly memorable, but contains an effective blend of subtle and pounding scores that competently suit each situation. If one noteworthy complaint can be made against the game’s audio, it’s that the music fades whenever a room has been cleared of enemies. This is unfortunate at it eliminates any tension and uncertainty that would have otherwise remained.
Resident Evil 4 is not without its flaws, but it undeniably provides a much-needed injection of life into the fading series. By completely changing the mechanics of the franchise, Resident Evil 4 truly delivers some of the most thrilling and heart-pounding gaming you will ever encounter. The improved controls still aren’t perfect, and some aspects of the game fall short of greatness, but ultimately this is one of the finest games ever produced. Capcom has not only revitalised the Resident Evil; it has raised the standards for action games to follow. Resident Evil 4 is simply one of the most exciting and intense experiences in the history of gaming.
Overall score: 9.6/10
Feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Re: Metroid Prime (GC) (5 years ago)
Would it be possible for anyone to tell me what they thought of my review? Any feedback would be great!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Re: Importing Wii (5 years ago)
A problem with using ebay is that very few will actually ship worldwide. Most poeple in the US only ship to the US.
Or am i just searching wrong?
Or am i just searching wrong?
Has anyone actually played the Australian version yet before making this assumption?
[/b]
[/b]
Metroid Prime (GC) (5 years ago)
Metroid Prime, developed by Retro Studios, is easily one of the most detailed and satisfying games ever made under the Nintendo name. Despite the initial (and understandable) criticism the title faced during its early development – few believed a small team of rookies could successfully translate the 2D side-scroller into 3D – the first-person adventure comes through with flying colors, delivering nearly everything you could possibly want from a Metroid adventure. Indeed, Prime is such an immersive and brilliant game that it warrants buying a Nintendo Gamecube just to experience what the title has to offer.
One should not enter Metroid Prime believing it is the Nintendo equivalent of Halo, or any first-person shooter for that matter. The Metroid franchise is founded upon its inclination of urging the player to explore vast alien worlds. Action takes a back-step to the constant journeying and discovery, though that is not to suggest the game lacks adrenaline. As a matter of, Metroid Prime contains a large amount of tense and exciting moments – it’s just that not all of these instances are fueled by combat. If truth be told, some of the preeminent moments of Metroid Prime contain little action at all.
Metroid Prime pitches you in the suit of interstellar bounty hunter Samus Aran. Upon receiving a distress call from a ship orbiting above the foreign world of Tallon IV, Samus is sent to investigate and discover just what occurred. It is already apparent during these early moments of Prime that you are part of something special: barren, empty hallways dripping with atmosphere provide the perfect glimpse of what’s to follow.
Not long after boarding the derelict ship, Samus finds herself traversing the varied environments of Tallon IV in an aim to end the Space Pirates’ consequential activities. However, Samus is stripped of her essential powers, forcing her to track them down as she progresses through the game. This is a fundamental aspect of Metroid’s gameplay that has been flawlessly carried over from the 2D games, providing incredible satisfaction whenever a new item is discovered. Shooting doors in order to open them is also still here. Conveniently, the game actually loads its rooms during this process. There are a few times where the doors are slow to open due to loading, but it’s rarely an issue.
Those expecting a FPS may initially become frustrate with Prime’s unique controls. There is no dual analog – instead, the left analog stick is used to move Samus in all directions. Prime further deviates from first-person shooters through its lock-on feature. Whenever Samus encounters an enemy, holding the left trigger allows her to easily target her adversary. Samus can also move the analog stick to move around whilst locked-on, or strafe around her enemy by pressing the B button.
The B button also comes into its own when exploring Tallon IV. Pressing it allows Samus to jump, which is essential for Samus to make her away around numerous obstacles. Amazingly, an aspect that made so many first-person shooters a dog’s dinner has been made to look very simple here – you always feel in control when jumping. Finally, holding the right trigger allows Samus to stop and look around. At first you may find this control setup somewhat maladroit, but before long it is difficult to imagine Metroid Prime controlling any other way.
The majority of Metroid Prime takes place in first-person view. By the end of the game Samus will have acquired numerous visors, though two are available from the beginning. All four visors are easily administered by pressing the d-pad in different directions. The default screen is the combat visor, which provides Samus a surprisingly clear and effective view of her surroundings. The other is the scan visor, a unique addition to the Metroid franchise. This item allows Samus to gain knowledge of the environment, the space pirates, and the hideous mutative known as Phazon. Though executed in a subtle fashion, the scan visor is actually responsible for providing the majority of the story in the form of text logs. However, there are drawbacks. Not only can Samus not fire her weapon is this mode; the player, if he/she wishes to learn more about the story, must read a large amount of text. Therefore, some may become daunted by this aspect of the game.
In order to avoid these by-products, Retro Studios implemented color-coded signs to determine whenever the scan visor is needed. As critical objects are easily identified, the player is given the opportunity to ignore the majority of information available. It must be said that the scan visor is incredibly well implemented and rewarding. Using the visor to its fullest is very worthwhile, as the player is not only provided with well-written accounts about Tallon IV, but also the weaknesses of enemies. Most information is stored in a well-designed logbook which can be read at any time.
Samus will also acquire Thermal and X-Ray visors throughout the game. The Thermal addition detects heat and electrical signals, whilst the latter allows Samus to see through walls. Both are crucial in opening up new paths, allowing Samus to discover even more items and secrets. It cannot be understated how well designed each visor looks and feels. Their incredible level of detail not only highlights the fantastic presentation of Metroid Prime; it helps the game take that step closer to total immersion. The only drawback is that some visors are not used as thoroughly as one would expect, which is a slight disappointment.
Of course, a Metroid game wouldn’t be complete without a variety of beam weapons. Prime’s assortment harks back to the days of old, though not entirely in the form you would expect. Though the power, wave, ice and plasma beams all return, they now have their own elemental properties. The beams now allow Samus to progress during specific points in the game; for example, the plasma beam can melt walls of ice. Whilst the varied weapon design may seem like a great aspect of the game, it is also unfortunately home to one of its few flaws. Each beam is mapped to one of the c-stick directions. However, this does not allow Samus to combine her beams, which may disappoint fans of the series. Furthermore, the final beam that Samus acquires is so powerful that the other beams are basically useless at this point of the game. Retro attempted to avoid this problem by creating beam-specific doors and enemies, but this comes off as quite gimmicky and unnecessary, which is certainly disappointing.
Samus also carries missiles which can be easily used through a single press of the Y button. Not only are these critical in defeating numerous enemies within the game, they can also destroy specific types of metal. Whilst the initial number of available missiles is low, Samus will come across missile expansions to assist her. Samus can also combine these missiles with her charge beam to produce massive beam attacks. Unfortunately, some of these extra missile combinations prove to be nigh of useless, giving these additions a noticeable “tacked on” status.
Like all other Metroid titles, Samus will square off against a massive range of alien foes throughout her journey. Most of these enemies, especially the bosses, are well-designed and strategic in battle. Early on in the game such adversaries will be little more than a push-over. However, later in the game the difficulty ramps up considerably with the bosses providing a great level of challenge. Some enemies are inspired by previous Metroid titles, which is certainly a nice touch. There are also a couple of pleasant surprises as well.
One of most enjoyable aspects of Metroid Prime’s gameplay is the morph ball ability. Through the simple press of the X button, Samus can transform into a sphere of concentrated energy. The camera automatically switches to a third-person view, with the player controlling the ball with the left thumbstick. Never before in the Metroid franchise has the morph ball been so easy and satisfying to maneuver. Like previous Metroid titles, Samus can lay bombs in morph ball mode, which is essential for destroying walls and enemies. Retro also provided new additions to the morph ball: the boost and spider balls. The former allows Samus to propel herself when in morph ball form. This is not only critical for opening locks; it also gives Samus the ability to climb up obstacles that can only be termed as “half-pipes.” This addition blends seamlessly into the gameplay and provides exceptional entertainment. The latter feature allows Samus to navigate walls that contain spider-ball tracks. This is a relatively unknown item drawn from Metroid 2: Return of Samus and its translation into Metroid Prime is undeniably successful, albeit a tad underused.
A large portion of Metroid Prime is spent backtracking. This may indeed warrant groans from newcomers; after all, few games this day force the player to track back to previous areas. However, this has always been a staple of the Metroid franchise and should not be seen as a negative. Because Samus will recover more and more abilities as she makes her way through Tallon IV, revisiting past areas provides new openings and surprises. Indeed, these moments are some of the greatest in Metroid Prime.
Fans of past Metroid titles would be quick to tell you that a key aspect of the franchise is its atmospheric mood and level design. Thankfully, Metroid Prime retains these aspects to an extent. The architecture of the game is simply marvelous, with subtle but effective details that mould together to produce an alien, yet amazingly believable world. Nearly everything, whether it be a bridge, chasm or other structure, blends into the environment incredibly well. From the moist Tallon Overworld, to the endless fiery tarns of the Magmoor Caverns, very few games can compete with the atmospheric environments that are on offer.
If one could make a reasonable gripe about the milieus on offer, it would be that they are too generic and not nearly “alien” enough. Admirers of Super Metroid would remember the dense caverns of Lower Brinstar and the glowing bubbles in Norfair. Very few of these traits can be found in Metroid Prime. Instead, Prime provides beautiful scenes of cascading snow and flowing waterfalls. Whilst the vistas are pleasant to navigate, the game would have benefited from being more eerie.
Naturally, this captivation could never have been fully achieved without a realistic graphics engine. Fortunately, Metroid Prime features some of the best visuals ever on the Gamecube. Though the primary features in Metroid Prime aren’t always jaw-dropping, it is the delicate details that make Metroid Prime so enjoyable to be part of. For instance, alien blood and water streak down Samus’ visor, while bright flashes cause reflections of Samus’s face. Even more impressive are the weather effects. Metroid Prime features some of the best rain and snow ever to be found on a home console. All of these fine details add up to make Metroid Prime feel incredibly real. Unsurprisingly, Samus and her enemies also looks very impressive in 3D. The crisp, clean details on Samus scream with style and dedication. If a finger can be pointed at Metroid Prime’s graphical package, it would have to be the omission of bump mapping. Whilst Prime’s surfaces do look smooth and realistic, it is obvious that it would have benefited from some form of bump mapping, as it causes some details to look quite ugly up close. However, these faults are easily overshadowed by the rest of the game’s illustrious visuals.
Past Metroid titles, especially the original and Super Metroid, are fondly remembered for their immersive soundtracks. While Metroid Prime’s audio fails to reach the prodigious heights of its predecessors, it still manages to capture the essence of the atmosphere and tone of the game. Epic scores combined with scintillating ambience make Prime a pleasure to listen to – in most cases, that is. Whilst most tracks exemplify the game’s locations and mood, others fail to immerse the player. Several tracks contain synth and techno beats that sound noticeably awkward in comparison to the other songs in the game, which is disappointing. The majority of the game’s sound effects are of high quality, with explosion and enemy sounds being particularly impressive. Overall, baring a few minor faults, Metroid Prime delivers a superb audio package.
Though Metroid titles are quite short in nature, Metroid Prime manages to alter this trend by providing a lengthy adventure. A normal game will take around 20 hours, though it is recommended that players take their time to appreciate all the qualities that Prime has on offer. Along with a large amount of upgrades and secrets, Metroid Prime also offers a Hard Mode which further complements the title. The game also supports Gameboy Advance connectivity, which will provide a nice surprise to those who take advantage of this feature.
Metroid Prime is a success in so many ways. Despite all the doubts and criticism, Retro Studios managed to deliver an adventure that reaches the standards set by previous Metroid games. Almost all of the characteristics that made the Metroid franchise so endearing combine to produce one of the most engaging titles released in the past decade. It’s not perfect, yet the few flaws within the title are instantly overshadowed by the sheer excitement that is offered. Metroid has been finally realized in 3D, providing one of the most atmospheric and satisfying experiences ever. You owe it to yourself to experience what this incredible game has to offer.
9.6/10
One should not enter Metroid Prime believing it is the Nintendo equivalent of Halo, or any first-person shooter for that matter. The Metroid franchise is founded upon its inclination of urging the player to explore vast alien worlds. Action takes a back-step to the constant journeying and discovery, though that is not to suggest the game lacks adrenaline. As a matter of, Metroid Prime contains a large amount of tense and exciting moments – it’s just that not all of these instances are fueled by combat. If truth be told, some of the preeminent moments of Metroid Prime contain little action at all.
Metroid Prime pitches you in the suit of interstellar bounty hunter Samus Aran. Upon receiving a distress call from a ship orbiting above the foreign world of Tallon IV, Samus is sent to investigate and discover just what occurred. It is already apparent during these early moments of Prime that you are part of something special: barren, empty hallways dripping with atmosphere provide the perfect glimpse of what’s to follow.
Not long after boarding the derelict ship, Samus finds herself traversing the varied environments of Tallon IV in an aim to end the Space Pirates’ consequential activities. However, Samus is stripped of her essential powers, forcing her to track them down as she progresses through the game. This is a fundamental aspect of Metroid’s gameplay that has been flawlessly carried over from the 2D games, providing incredible satisfaction whenever a new item is discovered. Shooting doors in order to open them is also still here. Conveniently, the game actually loads its rooms during this process. There are a few times where the doors are slow to open due to loading, but it’s rarely an issue.
Those expecting a FPS may initially become frustrate with Prime’s unique controls. There is no dual analog – instead, the left analog stick is used to move Samus in all directions. Prime further deviates from first-person shooters through its lock-on feature. Whenever Samus encounters an enemy, holding the left trigger allows her to easily target her adversary. Samus can also move the analog stick to move around whilst locked-on, or strafe around her enemy by pressing the B button.
The B button also comes into its own when exploring Tallon IV. Pressing it allows Samus to jump, which is essential for Samus to make her away around numerous obstacles. Amazingly, an aspect that made so many first-person shooters a dog’s dinner has been made to look very simple here – you always feel in control when jumping. Finally, holding the right trigger allows Samus to stop and look around. At first you may find this control setup somewhat maladroit, but before long it is difficult to imagine Metroid Prime controlling any other way.
The majority of Metroid Prime takes place in first-person view. By the end of the game Samus will have acquired numerous visors, though two are available from the beginning. All four visors are easily administered by pressing the d-pad in different directions. The default screen is the combat visor, which provides Samus a surprisingly clear and effective view of her surroundings. The other is the scan visor, a unique addition to the Metroid franchise. This item allows Samus to gain knowledge of the environment, the space pirates, and the hideous mutative known as Phazon. Though executed in a subtle fashion, the scan visor is actually responsible for providing the majority of the story in the form of text logs. However, there are drawbacks. Not only can Samus not fire her weapon is this mode; the player, if he/she wishes to learn more about the story, must read a large amount of text. Therefore, some may become daunted by this aspect of the game.
In order to avoid these by-products, Retro Studios implemented color-coded signs to determine whenever the scan visor is needed. As critical objects are easily identified, the player is given the opportunity to ignore the majority of information available. It must be said that the scan visor is incredibly well implemented and rewarding. Using the visor to its fullest is very worthwhile, as the player is not only provided with well-written accounts about Tallon IV, but also the weaknesses of enemies. Most information is stored in a well-designed logbook which can be read at any time.
Samus will also acquire Thermal and X-Ray visors throughout the game. The Thermal addition detects heat and electrical signals, whilst the latter allows Samus to see through walls. Both are crucial in opening up new paths, allowing Samus to discover even more items and secrets. It cannot be understated how well designed each visor looks and feels. Their incredible level of detail not only highlights the fantastic presentation of Metroid Prime; it helps the game take that step closer to total immersion. The only drawback is that some visors are not used as thoroughly as one would expect, which is a slight disappointment.
Of course, a Metroid game wouldn’t be complete without a variety of beam weapons. Prime’s assortment harks back to the days of old, though not entirely in the form you would expect. Though the power, wave, ice and plasma beams all return, they now have their own elemental properties. The beams now allow Samus to progress during specific points in the game; for example, the plasma beam can melt walls of ice. Whilst the varied weapon design may seem like a great aspect of the game, it is also unfortunately home to one of its few flaws. Each beam is mapped to one of the c-stick directions. However, this does not allow Samus to combine her beams, which may disappoint fans of the series. Furthermore, the final beam that Samus acquires is so powerful that the other beams are basically useless at this point of the game. Retro attempted to avoid this problem by creating beam-specific doors and enemies, but this comes off as quite gimmicky and unnecessary, which is certainly disappointing.
Samus also carries missiles which can be easily used through a single press of the Y button. Not only are these critical in defeating numerous enemies within the game, they can also destroy specific types of metal. Whilst the initial number of available missiles is low, Samus will come across missile expansions to assist her. Samus can also combine these missiles with her charge beam to produce massive beam attacks. Unfortunately, some of these extra missile combinations prove to be nigh of useless, giving these additions a noticeable “tacked on” status.
Like all other Metroid titles, Samus will square off against a massive range of alien foes throughout her journey. Most of these enemies, especially the bosses, are well-designed and strategic in battle. Early on in the game such adversaries will be little more than a push-over. However, later in the game the difficulty ramps up considerably with the bosses providing a great level of challenge. Some enemies are inspired by previous Metroid titles, which is certainly a nice touch. There are also a couple of pleasant surprises as well.
One of most enjoyable aspects of Metroid Prime’s gameplay is the morph ball ability. Through the simple press of the X button, Samus can transform into a sphere of concentrated energy. The camera automatically switches to a third-person view, with the player controlling the ball with the left thumbstick. Never before in the Metroid franchise has the morph ball been so easy and satisfying to maneuver. Like previous Metroid titles, Samus can lay bombs in morph ball mode, which is essential for destroying walls and enemies. Retro also provided new additions to the morph ball: the boost and spider balls. The former allows Samus to propel herself when in morph ball form. This is not only critical for opening locks; it also gives Samus the ability to climb up obstacles that can only be termed as “half-pipes.” This addition blends seamlessly into the gameplay and provides exceptional entertainment. The latter feature allows Samus to navigate walls that contain spider-ball tracks. This is a relatively unknown item drawn from Metroid 2: Return of Samus and its translation into Metroid Prime is undeniably successful, albeit a tad underused.
A large portion of Metroid Prime is spent backtracking. This may indeed warrant groans from newcomers; after all, few games this day force the player to track back to previous areas. However, this has always been a staple of the Metroid franchise and should not be seen as a negative. Because Samus will recover more and more abilities as she makes her way through Tallon IV, revisiting past areas provides new openings and surprises. Indeed, these moments are some of the greatest in Metroid Prime.
Fans of past Metroid titles would be quick to tell you that a key aspect of the franchise is its atmospheric mood and level design. Thankfully, Metroid Prime retains these aspects to an extent. The architecture of the game is simply marvelous, with subtle but effective details that mould together to produce an alien, yet amazingly believable world. Nearly everything, whether it be a bridge, chasm or other structure, blends into the environment incredibly well. From the moist Tallon Overworld, to the endless fiery tarns of the Magmoor Caverns, very few games can compete with the atmospheric environments that are on offer.
If one could make a reasonable gripe about the milieus on offer, it would be that they are too generic and not nearly “alien” enough. Admirers of Super Metroid would remember the dense caverns of Lower Brinstar and the glowing bubbles in Norfair. Very few of these traits can be found in Metroid Prime. Instead, Prime provides beautiful scenes of cascading snow and flowing waterfalls. Whilst the vistas are pleasant to navigate, the game would have benefited from being more eerie.
Naturally, this captivation could never have been fully achieved without a realistic graphics engine. Fortunately, Metroid Prime features some of the best visuals ever on the Gamecube. Though the primary features in Metroid Prime aren’t always jaw-dropping, it is the delicate details that make Metroid Prime so enjoyable to be part of. For instance, alien blood and water streak down Samus’ visor, while bright flashes cause reflections of Samus’s face. Even more impressive are the weather effects. Metroid Prime features some of the best rain and snow ever to be found on a home console. All of these fine details add up to make Metroid Prime feel incredibly real. Unsurprisingly, Samus and her enemies also looks very impressive in 3D. The crisp, clean details on Samus scream with style and dedication. If a finger can be pointed at Metroid Prime’s graphical package, it would have to be the omission of bump mapping. Whilst Prime’s surfaces do look smooth and realistic, it is obvious that it would have benefited from some form of bump mapping, as it causes some details to look quite ugly up close. However, these faults are easily overshadowed by the rest of the game’s illustrious visuals.
Past Metroid titles, especially the original and Super Metroid, are fondly remembered for their immersive soundtracks. While Metroid Prime’s audio fails to reach the prodigious heights of its predecessors, it still manages to capture the essence of the atmosphere and tone of the game. Epic scores combined with scintillating ambience make Prime a pleasure to listen to – in most cases, that is. Whilst most tracks exemplify the game’s locations and mood, others fail to immerse the player. Several tracks contain synth and techno beats that sound noticeably awkward in comparison to the other songs in the game, which is disappointing. The majority of the game’s sound effects are of high quality, with explosion and enemy sounds being particularly impressive. Overall, baring a few minor faults, Metroid Prime delivers a superb audio package.
Though Metroid titles are quite short in nature, Metroid Prime manages to alter this trend by providing a lengthy adventure. A normal game will take around 20 hours, though it is recommended that players take their time to appreciate all the qualities that Prime has on offer. Along with a large amount of upgrades and secrets, Metroid Prime also offers a Hard Mode which further complements the title. The game also supports Gameboy Advance connectivity, which will provide a nice surprise to those who take advantage of this feature.
Metroid Prime is a success in so many ways. Despite all the doubts and criticism, Retro Studios managed to deliver an adventure that reaches the standards set by previous Metroid games. Almost all of the characteristics that made the Metroid franchise so endearing combine to produce one of the most engaging titles released in the past decade. It’s not perfect, yet the few flaws within the title are instantly overshadowed by the sheer excitement that is offered. Metroid has been finally realized in 3D, providing one of the most atmospheric and satisfying experiences ever. You owe it to yourself to experience what this incredible game has to offer.
9.6/10
Re: Please help - connecting console to internet (5 years ago)
Please help - connecting console to internet (5 years ago)
Hey guys!
Im a Wii and Premium 360 owner, and am very interested in connecting my consoles to the internet to download content as well as play against others.
However, i am very uneducated on this sort of thing and would really appreciate some help.
I live in Ballarat, Victoria. My plan is a Bigpond Broadband Connection, 10GB per month, 512/128. It uses a Siemens SpeedStream 4200 modem, ADSL. I do not have a wireless connection/router.
These were the main things i was wondering -
1. Is my connection sufficient for online connectivity?
2. Will i experience lag when playing against others around the world?
3. How do i go about connecting my consoles to the internet?
The last question i am really confused about - i have heard things about wireless routers and such but would really like some clarification on all of this.
Thankyou!
Im a Wii and Premium 360 owner, and am very interested in connecting my consoles to the internet to download content as well as play against others.
However, i am very uneducated on this sort of thing and would really appreciate some help.
I live in Ballarat, Victoria. My plan is a Bigpond Broadband Connection, 10GB per month, 512/128. It uses a Siemens SpeedStream 4200 modem, ADSL. I do not have a wireless connection/router.
These were the main things i was wondering -
1. Is my connection sufficient for online connectivity?
2. Will i experience lag when playing against others around the world?
3. How do i go about connecting my consoles to the internet?
The last question i am really confused about - i have heard things about wireless routers and such but would really like some clarification on all of this.
Thankyou!
Re: What game are you playing? (7 years ago)
I've recently acquired RE4 for GC, and its so brilliant its not funny. There's nothing more tense than 15 blood-thirsty villagers running towards you, and your ammo has run out...
Re: Halo 3 at E3 (7 years ago)
It's quite interesting really. Normally this would be pretty big news, yet because of Nintendo's brilliant marketing of its new name that has everyone talking, this announcement is barely significant.
I'm telling you - the Wii is Nintendi's best decision is years. Nearly every single person is talking about it, even if negatively. So many more people are interested, and come E3 Nintendo will so them that the console is nothing to laugh at.
I'm telling you - the Wii is Nintendi's best decision is years. Nearly every single person is talking about it, even if negatively. So many more people are interested, and come E3 Nintendo will so them that the console is nothing to laugh at.
Re: Nintendo Wii - An insight (7 years ago)
Qbert wrote
^Agreed. I don't really give a sh!t weather the console's name describes the console, I just want it to not sound lame.
And people aren't talking about the 360? Have you been living under a rock?
And people aren't talking about the 360? Have you been living under a rock?
If anything you've been living under a rock! Haven't you noticed the 1000000000's of threads across the internet about the Wii.
Nintendo Wii - An insight (7 years ago)
OMGWTFBBQ!? Teh weeeee!!!! It sounds like teh urine!
Yep, I bet most of you have been hearing things like this everywhere. People criticising the name, bagging it out and making jokes about it.
I too was surprised, very surprised and initially I was uncomfortable. The Wii? What about my Revolution? It sounded so much cooler!
But then I thought about it. A lot. And I've now realised that it's actually a really good name. Why?
1. It's simple and it's unique. Hmmm. We have I heard this kind of name before? Oh that's right, the iPod. Sounds strange, sounds simple. And it's done amazingly well.
Some of you are probably still laughing. But think about these names:
- iPod
- Google
- Yahoo
- Naked
- Virgin
These are all names that nearly all of us know. They're stupid names. They sound stupid and they look stupid. And yet they're recognised throughout the world.
Wii is no different. It sounds pretty stupid, it looks wierd and yet it's simple and catchy. You won't forget it. Just like the other names I mentioned above.
2. It actually describes the machine. Think about it.
Xbox 360? What does that mean? An extreme box that goes around in circles?
Playstation 3? What does that mean? A third edition of a station where we play?
Dreamcast? What does that mean? A machine where we cast dreams?
None of these (except for maybe the PS3) describe the console is any real way. But Wii does.
Wii says that it is for Us. It's Wii. Wii play together. Wii are immersed. Wii are having fun. Wii are getting the most out of our games. Think about it.
And another thing. Just look at how it's spelt. Wii. Look at it again. See the two i's. See the controller?
It makes sense.
3. It's controversial.
Most of the time, controversial things work.
Nearly everyone is talking about the system. Hardly anyone is talking about the 360 or PS3. They're talking about Wii. Nintendo's machine, unlike the Gamecube, is not being forgotten. Wii are talking about it. Wii are discussing it. Many may not like it right now, but they're certainly interested. You are. I am. Wii all are.
It's controversial, and it's working. The name is spreading like fire. And it's burning red hot.
Everyone who is still reading this, thank you. These are just some explanations about why Wii is a great name.
Some will have already gravitated towards the name. Others will take a lot of time to finally like it. Some people may not even get it at all.
But hopefully you will have learned a little about why the name works. Because it isn't about you or me. It's about Wii.
And Wii will change everything.
Yep, I bet most of you have been hearing things like this everywhere. People criticising the name, bagging it out and making jokes about it.
I too was surprised, very surprised and initially I was uncomfortable. The Wii? What about my Revolution? It sounded so much cooler!
But then I thought about it. A lot. And I've now realised that it's actually a really good name. Why?
1. It's simple and it's unique. Hmmm. We have I heard this kind of name before? Oh that's right, the iPod. Sounds strange, sounds simple. And it's done amazingly well.
Some of you are probably still laughing. But think about these names:
- iPod
- Yahoo
- Naked
- Virgin
These are all names that nearly all of us know. They're stupid names. They sound stupid and they look stupid. And yet they're recognised throughout the world.
Wii is no different. It sounds pretty stupid, it looks wierd and yet it's simple and catchy. You won't forget it. Just like the other names I mentioned above.
2. It actually describes the machine. Think about it.
Xbox 360? What does that mean? An extreme box that goes around in circles?
Playstation 3? What does that mean? A third edition of a station where we play?
Dreamcast? What does that mean? A machine where we cast dreams?
None of these (except for maybe the PS3) describe the console is any real way. But Wii does.
Wii says that it is for Us. It's Wii. Wii play together. Wii are immersed. Wii are having fun. Wii are getting the most out of our games. Think about it.
And another thing. Just look at how it's spelt. Wii. Look at it again. See the two i's. See the controller?
It makes sense.
3. It's controversial.
Most of the time, controversial things work.
Nearly everyone is talking about the system. Hardly anyone is talking about the 360 or PS3. They're talking about Wii. Nintendo's machine, unlike the Gamecube, is not being forgotten. Wii are talking about it. Wii are discussing it. Many may not like it right now, but they're certainly interested. You are. I am. Wii all are.
It's controversial, and it's working. The name is spreading like fire. And it's burning red hot.
Everyone who is still reading this, thank you. These are just some explanations about why Wii is a great name.
Some will have already gravitated towards the name. Others will take a lot of time to finally like it. Some people may not even get it at all.
But hopefully you will have learned a little about why the name works. Because it isn't about you or me. It's about Wii.
And Wii will change everything.
Re: Nintendo Wii (7 years ago)
I'm undecided.
It has heaps of meaning and all, and the logo is awesome.
BUT it just sounds awkward to say outloud. I talked to a friend today and I couldn't bring myself to say it more than once. I said to him "I'm looking forward to the Nintendo Wii" And it just sounded so strange and dorky.
It has heaps of meaning and all, and the logo is awesome.
BUT it just sounds awkward to say outloud. I talked to a friend today and I couldn't bring myself to say it more than once. I said to him "I'm looking forward to the Nintendo Wii" And it just sounded so strange and dorky.
EA suddenly loves the Revolution? (7 years ago)
This not Madden 07 yet, but this is the Sh..T !
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6148455.html
EA Canada QB details popular pigskin franchise's debut for Nintendo's new console; with new controller, popular football series won't be just about pushing buttons. Exec says EA Rev games won't be straight ports.
By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot
Posted Apr 27, 2006 12:03 am PT
Electronic Arts hasn't unveiled its full lineup of games for next month's Electronic Entertainment Expo yet, but one title that the publisher has confirmed that will make its debut at the show in playable demo form is the debut of it flagship franchise on a new console. The ever-popular Madden franchise gets the call for Nintendo's next-gen console, and is tentatively titled Madden Revolution. It's important to note that the game isn't simply titled Madden NFL 2007 for the Revolution--that's because no gamer has seen a Madden quite like this one.
For the first time in years, development on a major console version of EA's marquee franchise football series is being taken outside the doors of the company's Orlando, Florida-based EA Tiburon studio. The game is instead being handled north of the border, by a special Revolution-focused development group within EA's Burnaby, British Columbia studio.
Given that EA has dedicated a specific group to Revolution development, it stands to reason that the game will take advantage of the console's unique capabilities. While many details will have to wait until E3 kicks off, GameSpot was given an advanced scouting report which said that the gameplay will make extensive use of the Revolution controller's motion-sensing capabilities.
Players will hike the ball by mimicking a quarterback receiving the ball from the center, and then pass it to a receiver by making a throwing gesture with the free-hand controller. The faster the passing motion, the more of a bullet pass it becomes (in previous Madden editions, bullet passes were made by holding the passing button down longer).
Kicking the ball will be accomplished by sweeping the controller up as if it were a kicker's leg striking the ball. A fast, level swing will make for a hard, straight kick.
The Revolution controller will also come into play when running the ball, as jerking the controller left or right will make the ball-carrier juke to either side, while shoving it straight ahead will make him stiff-arm the opposition.
GameSpot interviewed John Schappert, formerly EA Tiburon's top guy and now head of EA Canada. He talked about implementing the new control scheme for Madden Revolution, as well as the publisher's approach to development for Nintendo's new system:
GameSpot:: So this isn't Madden 07 for the Revolution?
John Schappert: Well, the final name is TBD, but what we are most proud of, I hope that you and all the E3 folks are proud of too, is that it is a unique Revolution offering. We've built Madden for the Revolution. It fully maximizes the [Revolution's controller] to play Madden like never before. It's pretty cool. It's going to take you through a passing drill, a kicking drill… it's going to immerse you in the game.
What we've tried to do is take the time we've had with the system and spend all of our time on maximizing gameplay. To us, what is so great about the Revolution is the uniqueness in control and the new experience it's going to bring consumers. Happily, we've got proven Madden artificial intelligence and physics that are stunning, so we've got a great game of football.
However, to make it stand out on Revolution, it's all about control. It's about, "How is this Madden going to be seen as native to this platform and not seen as just a port where it doesn't maximize the power of the machine?" And what we're really proud of is we've truly taken a revolutionary approach to making this game specifically and just for the Revolution.
GS: A lot of the gestures sound pretty instinctive, but at the same time they're things that gamers have never had to do with any kind of precision before. Are you noticing much of a learning curve for the game even though it's with this supposedly instinctive controller?
JS: It's still relatively early on so I can share that we're just getting the gestures and getting them testable...we've had multiple focus group sessions. At first we had the hike mechanism where you actually pulled the controller back, so if you think about gesturing your hand forward and pulling it back as if you're hiking the ball, which kind of looks more like a hike, [it] was very hard to do and wasn't something that was comfortable for people. So we actually moved it to snapping the ball up, as if you're receiving the ball. So part of it is new for all of us. It's also new for consumers.
We need to make sure that we're delivering on something that's innovative but also really, really fun. The gesture of throwing was something that we worked on a bunch of different control schemes and settled on one. Just to get that gesture recognition working is non-trivial, because people throw different ways. It's easy to say, "you just gesture a throw," but there are so many different [types of] throws. So to have that working and hopefully pretty recognizable by E3 time--and it looks pretty good now--we've got a whole bunch of different throws that it's interpreting.
GS: In the past, I imagine EA would be happy if everyone would buy Madden on one of their systems. If you have it on the GameCube, EA's not expecting to sell it to you on the PlayStation 2 also. Is the Revolution version of Madden going to be aimed as a supplement for the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 versions?
JS: I think Madden Revolution is unique and would complement any version of Madden as well as stand on its own. What's neat about it is we've taken a different approach with the Revolution than we have in the past. We've created a separate group that we have in Canada here that's doing Madden and some other titles and they're just focused on Revolution. Their whole mantra is to create Revolution-specific versions of these games that are created just for the Revolution. So Madden Revolution will be very different from any other version of Madden you play. It'll be tailored just for the Revolution, which means we're spending a majority of our time making the control, which is very unique and different...specific for that machine.
GS: How do you go from scratch, taking this new peripheral that's not really like anything released before, and designing successful games around it when there's no blueprint to follow?
JS: That's hard, and we have to give lots of credit to our design team. We have some brilliant, brilliant, brilliant folks. Happily, we've got a lot of experience making football games in the past so we can rely on that. We know what fans like and don't like, so we can start problem solving just on how we can maximize this unique controller, which has a pointing device as well as the accelerometers inside of it. And how are we going to make the game unique, different, but still fun to play?
We started designing that many months ago last year, and as we started getting dev kits with hardware, we started implementing the stuff, getting it going. We had test beds where we could just focus on passing, for instance. And then we started running focus-group testing. We've made changes to our gestures based on that and there will be continued refinement, but actually what we're really proud of is at E3 you can get a very good glimpse of the whole game because you'll have the game running, you'll have kicking running, you'll have passing running, and you'll see how it's shaping up. It's come along pretty well. We're pretty proud of it.
GS: What can you say about EA's plans to bring other franchises, other familiar names to the Revolution? Is this something that we'll see unveiled across all the major brands eventually?
JS: I can tell you that we're working on titles other than just Madden right now and we're not unveiling those just yet. I think you'll see continued support for Revolution and you'll see EA continue to bring innovative titles that maximize the power of the machine. What's important to us is we've recognized the uniqueness of the Rev and how innovative it is, and what we don't want to do is say, "Hey, there's another platform, lets port a game to it and get it on that platform." Unless we can maximize that game for the power, the uniqueness, and the innovative control, we're going to wait until we know how to do that right to bring those franchises there. What I'm proud of is all the franchises we have in development have very innovative control schemes as I've just described for Madden. They're maximizing the power of the machine: the control, the WiFi. What makes the Revolution unique is what our focus is for our Revolution group and the titles they're working on.
GS: So we won't be seeing straight ports to the Rev?
JS: I don't think Revolution consumers want straight ports. We want to bring out games that are great for the Revolution. And that's what we're trying to do. We're trying to take our expertise, and happily having a great football engine that we can count on solves a lot of problems. You don't have to sit there and worry about, "Let's get the game to play great football AI." It's more about, "Let's get the game to play great on the Revolution with a brand new, unique control device." Which is really the problem that we think all of our games should be solving on the Revolution.
GS: In more recent years, the Madden series has grown increasingly complex with its simulation and detail with which it replicates the pro game, but the idea behind the Revolution seems to be to strip away as much of the complexity of the experience as possible. Can you speak to the issues that come up when you're trying to create a simulation-minded football game that won't alienate more casual gamers?
JS: The great thing about Madden is it actually has the depth for the diehard football fan, but I think it's still a fun game to pick up and play with your friend even if you're not the guy who plays Madden every day of the week. You can ignore those depth features if you will. When we look at the Revolution, not all of those consumers will be the hardcore guys so we need to make sure we're delivering a Madden to them that doesn't scare them because of the depth and the control. At the same time, we want to make sure we're delivering a great Madden that actually has depth, and Madden does have a lot of depth there. I think you'll see us deliver a solid offering that will be tailored to Revolution consumers yet still have the depth that consumers expect from Madden.
GS: How long do you think it will be before developers really figure out how to take full advantage of the Revolution's control scheme?
JS: We've had access to the controllers and people have known about them for some time. I think people that have been working on Revolution titles hopefully have had enough time to work out those kinks. Now, getting recognition of everything it's doing is a non-trivial task. It's a lot of math and interpretation of what the game is doing, so that takes some time to work out. I think we've had enough time on dev kits and earlier dev kits with the wand that we've had ample time to work through those.
GS: Will we see more franchise-driven Revolution games from EA or will it be a chance to try out new IPs specifically built around the Revolution?
JS: When we talk about a new platform, what would the Revolution be without having Madden there? I think users expect some of our core, big franchises to be on Revolution and we understand that. I think you'll see EA support the Revolution with our strong franchises, but at the same time it's such a unique machine with a unique controller that it certainly gives us opportunity to think about doing new things and specific games just for that platform. At the same time, we have such a wealth of franchises that to me what's kind of cool is when you think about taking a franchise like Madden and doing that on Revolution--while people have played football games before, they've never played Madden this way. Yes, you've seen a football game before, but you've never seen anything like this before.
So that's what excites us. Even though we are expected to bring over some of our big franchises [to the Revolution], we're bringing them over and there's massive innovation in them. I think you'll see a lot of innovation in all the franchises we bring over. At the same time, in the future I wouldn't doubt that maybe there are some originals we can do, but I would hope that you look at the games we're bringing over, and even if you've seen the franchise before, you think that it's an original in and of itself, too. I hope you look at Madden Revolution and say "Holy cow! That's unique, that feels like an original game just for the Revolution."
GS: Do you think people will be surprised at all when they first get their hands on the controller?
JS: It's a completely different controller than we've ever experienced before, so I think certainly. It's going to be innovative and different, and I think it's cool. I can tell you that the Tiburon guys came up today and they played Madden on the Revolution. They had been spending some time with our group but hadn't gotten hands-on with [the game] until today. They couldn't get the controller quick enough and said, "Don't tell me anything! Let me do it myself!" They loved it. It was great. They weren't expecting it to be as unique and original. 'Unexpected' is the best way to describe it. I think we're surprising people with how unique and different the offering is, just because that machine is unique and different. And I hope people are going to be very pleasantly surprised by what we have to show.
GS: Thanks for your time.
--------------
Great to hear.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6148455.html
EA Canada QB details popular pigskin franchise's debut for Nintendo's new console; with new controller, popular football series won't be just about pushing buttons. Exec says EA Rev games won't be straight ports.
By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot
Posted Apr 27, 2006 12:03 am PT
Electronic Arts hasn't unveiled its full lineup of games for next month's Electronic Entertainment Expo yet, but one title that the publisher has confirmed that will make its debut at the show in playable demo form is the debut of it flagship franchise on a new console. The ever-popular Madden franchise gets the call for Nintendo's next-gen console, and is tentatively titled Madden Revolution. It's important to note that the game isn't simply titled Madden NFL 2007 for the Revolution--that's because no gamer has seen a Madden quite like this one.
For the first time in years, development on a major console version of EA's marquee franchise football series is being taken outside the doors of the company's Orlando, Florida-based EA Tiburon studio. The game is instead being handled north of the border, by a special Revolution-focused development group within EA's Burnaby, British Columbia studio.
Given that EA has dedicated a specific group to Revolution development, it stands to reason that the game will take advantage of the console's unique capabilities. While many details will have to wait until E3 kicks off, GameSpot was given an advanced scouting report which said that the gameplay will make extensive use of the Revolution controller's motion-sensing capabilities.
Players will hike the ball by mimicking a quarterback receiving the ball from the center, and then pass it to a receiver by making a throwing gesture with the free-hand controller. The faster the passing motion, the more of a bullet pass it becomes (in previous Madden editions, bullet passes were made by holding the passing button down longer).
Kicking the ball will be accomplished by sweeping the controller up as if it were a kicker's leg striking the ball. A fast, level swing will make for a hard, straight kick.
The Revolution controller will also come into play when running the ball, as jerking the controller left or right will make the ball-carrier juke to either side, while shoving it straight ahead will make him stiff-arm the opposition.
GameSpot interviewed John Schappert, formerly EA Tiburon's top guy and now head of EA Canada. He talked about implementing the new control scheme for Madden Revolution, as well as the publisher's approach to development for Nintendo's new system:
GameSpot:: So this isn't Madden 07 for the Revolution?
John Schappert: Well, the final name is TBD, but what we are most proud of, I hope that you and all the E3 folks are proud of too, is that it is a unique Revolution offering. We've built Madden for the Revolution. It fully maximizes the [Revolution's controller] to play Madden like never before. It's pretty cool. It's going to take you through a passing drill, a kicking drill… it's going to immerse you in the game.
What we've tried to do is take the time we've had with the system and spend all of our time on maximizing gameplay. To us, what is so great about the Revolution is the uniqueness in control and the new experience it's going to bring consumers. Happily, we've got proven Madden artificial intelligence and physics that are stunning, so we've got a great game of football.
However, to make it stand out on Revolution, it's all about control. It's about, "How is this Madden going to be seen as native to this platform and not seen as just a port where it doesn't maximize the power of the machine?" And what we're really proud of is we've truly taken a revolutionary approach to making this game specifically and just for the Revolution.
GS: A lot of the gestures sound pretty instinctive, but at the same time they're things that gamers have never had to do with any kind of precision before. Are you noticing much of a learning curve for the game even though it's with this supposedly instinctive controller?
JS: It's still relatively early on so I can share that we're just getting the gestures and getting them testable...we've had multiple focus group sessions. At first we had the hike mechanism where you actually pulled the controller back, so if you think about gesturing your hand forward and pulling it back as if you're hiking the ball, which kind of looks more like a hike, [it] was very hard to do and wasn't something that was comfortable for people. So we actually moved it to snapping the ball up, as if you're receiving the ball. So part of it is new for all of us. It's also new for consumers.
We need to make sure that we're delivering on something that's innovative but also really, really fun. The gesture of throwing was something that we worked on a bunch of different control schemes and settled on one. Just to get that gesture recognition working is non-trivial, because people throw different ways. It's easy to say, "you just gesture a throw," but there are so many different [types of] throws. So to have that working and hopefully pretty recognizable by E3 time--and it looks pretty good now--we've got a whole bunch of different throws that it's interpreting.
GS: In the past, I imagine EA would be happy if everyone would buy Madden on one of their systems. If you have it on the GameCube, EA's not expecting to sell it to you on the PlayStation 2 also. Is the Revolution version of Madden going to be aimed as a supplement for the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 versions?
JS: I think Madden Revolution is unique and would complement any version of Madden as well as stand on its own. What's neat about it is we've taken a different approach with the Revolution than we have in the past. We've created a separate group that we have in Canada here that's doing Madden and some other titles and they're just focused on Revolution. Their whole mantra is to create Revolution-specific versions of these games that are created just for the Revolution. So Madden Revolution will be very different from any other version of Madden you play. It'll be tailored just for the Revolution, which means we're spending a majority of our time making the control, which is very unique and different...specific for that machine.
GS: How do you go from scratch, taking this new peripheral that's not really like anything released before, and designing successful games around it when there's no blueprint to follow?
JS: That's hard, and we have to give lots of credit to our design team. We have some brilliant, brilliant, brilliant folks. Happily, we've got a lot of experience making football games in the past so we can rely on that. We know what fans like and don't like, so we can start problem solving just on how we can maximize this unique controller, which has a pointing device as well as the accelerometers inside of it. And how are we going to make the game unique, different, but still fun to play?
We started designing that many months ago last year, and as we started getting dev kits with hardware, we started implementing the stuff, getting it going. We had test beds where we could just focus on passing, for instance. And then we started running focus-group testing. We've made changes to our gestures based on that and there will be continued refinement, but actually what we're really proud of is at E3 you can get a very good glimpse of the whole game because you'll have the game running, you'll have kicking running, you'll have passing running, and you'll see how it's shaping up. It's come along pretty well. We're pretty proud of it.
GS: What can you say about EA's plans to bring other franchises, other familiar names to the Revolution? Is this something that we'll see unveiled across all the major brands eventually?
JS: I can tell you that we're working on titles other than just Madden right now and we're not unveiling those just yet. I think you'll see continued support for Revolution and you'll see EA continue to bring innovative titles that maximize the power of the machine. What's important to us is we've recognized the uniqueness of the Rev and how innovative it is, and what we don't want to do is say, "Hey, there's another platform, lets port a game to it and get it on that platform." Unless we can maximize that game for the power, the uniqueness, and the innovative control, we're going to wait until we know how to do that right to bring those franchises there. What I'm proud of is all the franchises we have in development have very innovative control schemes as I've just described for Madden. They're maximizing the power of the machine: the control, the WiFi. What makes the Revolution unique is what our focus is for our Revolution group and the titles they're working on.
GS: So we won't be seeing straight ports to the Rev?
JS: I don't think Revolution consumers want straight ports. We want to bring out games that are great for the Revolution. And that's what we're trying to do. We're trying to take our expertise, and happily having a great football engine that we can count on solves a lot of problems. You don't have to sit there and worry about, "Let's get the game to play great football AI." It's more about, "Let's get the game to play great on the Revolution with a brand new, unique control device." Which is really the problem that we think all of our games should be solving on the Revolution.
GS: In more recent years, the Madden series has grown increasingly complex with its simulation and detail with which it replicates the pro game, but the idea behind the Revolution seems to be to strip away as much of the complexity of the experience as possible. Can you speak to the issues that come up when you're trying to create a simulation-minded football game that won't alienate more casual gamers?
JS: The great thing about Madden is it actually has the depth for the diehard football fan, but I think it's still a fun game to pick up and play with your friend even if you're not the guy who plays Madden every day of the week. You can ignore those depth features if you will. When we look at the Revolution, not all of those consumers will be the hardcore guys so we need to make sure we're delivering a Madden to them that doesn't scare them because of the depth and the control. At the same time, we want to make sure we're delivering a great Madden that actually has depth, and Madden does have a lot of depth there. I think you'll see us deliver a solid offering that will be tailored to Revolution consumers yet still have the depth that consumers expect from Madden.
GS: How long do you think it will be before developers really figure out how to take full advantage of the Revolution's control scheme?
JS: We've had access to the controllers and people have known about them for some time. I think people that have been working on Revolution titles hopefully have had enough time to work out those kinks. Now, getting recognition of everything it's doing is a non-trivial task. It's a lot of math and interpretation of what the game is doing, so that takes some time to work out. I think we've had enough time on dev kits and earlier dev kits with the wand that we've had ample time to work through those.
GS: Will we see more franchise-driven Revolution games from EA or will it be a chance to try out new IPs specifically built around the Revolution?
JS: When we talk about a new platform, what would the Revolution be without having Madden there? I think users expect some of our core, big franchises to be on Revolution and we understand that. I think you'll see EA support the Revolution with our strong franchises, but at the same time it's such a unique machine with a unique controller that it certainly gives us opportunity to think about doing new things and specific games just for that platform. At the same time, we have such a wealth of franchises that to me what's kind of cool is when you think about taking a franchise like Madden and doing that on Revolution--while people have played football games before, they've never played Madden this way. Yes, you've seen a football game before, but you've never seen anything like this before.
So that's what excites us. Even though we are expected to bring over some of our big franchises [to the Revolution], we're bringing them over and there's massive innovation in them. I think you'll see a lot of innovation in all the franchises we bring over. At the same time, in the future I wouldn't doubt that maybe there are some originals we can do, but I would hope that you look at the games we're bringing over, and even if you've seen the franchise before, you think that it's an original in and of itself, too. I hope you look at Madden Revolution and say "Holy cow! That's unique, that feels like an original game just for the Revolution."
GS: Do you think people will be surprised at all when they first get their hands on the controller?
JS: It's a completely different controller than we've ever experienced before, so I think certainly. It's going to be innovative and different, and I think it's cool. I can tell you that the Tiburon guys came up today and they played Madden on the Revolution. They had been spending some time with our group but hadn't gotten hands-on with [the game] until today. They couldn't get the controller quick enough and said, "Don't tell me anything! Let me do it myself!" They loved it. It was great. They weren't expecting it to be as unique and original. 'Unexpected' is the best way to describe it. I think we're surprising people with how unique and different the offering is, just because that machine is unique and different. And I hope people are going to be very pleasantly surprised by what we have to show.
GS: Thanks for your time.
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Great to hear.
Re: Game prices, Graphics/ Video cards and good games (7 years ago)
I can't believe you guys found Pikmin 2 so easily.
Darn I want that game!
Darn I want that game!
Re: Game prices, Graphics/ Video cards and good games (7 years ago)
What I hate is that Pikmin 2 came out 1 and a 1/2 years go, yet it is still about $90 in stores. WTF?
Re: What game are you playing? (7 years ago)
I'm currently playing Wind Waker. Excellent title.
BTW, for those who haven't completed Metroid Prime, you must persevere.
And for the guy stuck in Echoes, please, keep working at it. Quadraxis is one of the best bosses in the Metroid series. If you want to know what he looks like, take a look a specific type of enemy you find in the Fortress. Now picture that enemy 1000X bigger.
BTW, for those who haven't completed Metroid Prime, you must persevere.
And for the guy stuck in Echoes, please, keep working at it. Quadraxis is one of the best bosses in the Metroid series. If you want to know what he looks like, take a look a specific type of enemy you find in the Fortress. Now picture that enemy 1000X bigger.
Re: Rank these 3 systems (7 years ago)
I'm surprised you're not going for the GC. It's cheap and has the best exclusives of all the three systems.
Re: Ubisoft's first Revolution title - Red Steel (7 years ago)
With Nintendo's support, this game certainly has a lot of potential. It seems to be a combination of the controller's best suited actions. I like.
Re: Bluewave (7 years ago)
I like the name. Its probably not as good as Revolution, but Revolution would sound a bit strange in 2-3 years time.
Bluewave certainly goes with their "blue ocean" approach, and it sounds nice enough.
Though it does sound a tad too much like "blu ray".
Bluewave certainly goes with their "blue ocean" approach, and it sounds nice enough.
Though it does sound a tad too much like "blu ray".
Re: What game are you playing? (7 years ago)
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.
Absolutely amazing game. Love the cell-shaded visuals, and the gameplay is classic Zelda. Its like Oot all over again.
Absolutely amazing game. Love the cell-shaded visuals, and the gameplay is classic Zelda. Its like Oot all over again.
Re: Rank these 3 systems (7 years ago)
In my opinion:
1. Gamecube - Despite severely lacking 3rd party support, it still contains the most must-have games. Beautiful visuals and innovative ideas compliment the system, as does a very comfortable controller. Very cheap too. No online hurts it.
2. Xbox - Very powerful and contains so many features. Has some decent exclusives, as well as terrific online capabilities, good 3rd party support and a solid controller. Poor design though, and no games truly reach the brilliance of Nintendo's titles.
2. PS2 - Tied with Xbox. Awesome 3rd party support, decent online and has been very successful (so easy to find games). However, it lacks power and must-have titles, and its controller is the worst of the bunch.
The GC failed in Australia, but it was actually a very good console. If it had a better image and 3rd party support, it would have gone much better.
1. Gamecube - Despite severely lacking 3rd party support, it still contains the most must-have games. Beautiful visuals and innovative ideas compliment the system, as does a very comfortable controller. Very cheap too. No online hurts it.
2. Xbox - Very powerful and contains so many features. Has some decent exclusives, as well as terrific online capabilities, good 3rd party support and a solid controller. Poor design though, and no games truly reach the brilliance of Nintendo's titles.
2. PS2 - Tied with Xbox. Awesome 3rd party support, decent online and has been very successful (so easy to find games). However, it lacks power and must-have titles, and its controller is the worst of the bunch.
The GC failed in Australia, but it was actually a very good console. If it had a better image and 3rd party support, it would have gone much better.
Re: The Simpsons : The movie (7 years ago)
Simpsons has gone down so bad that I'm not looking forward to the movie.
Ask me 10 years ago and I would've been jumping for joy.
It's disappointing too, because it used to be one of the best. It should have ended at the right time like Seinfeld did.
Ask me 10 years ago and I would've been jumping for joy.
It's disappointing too, because it used to be one of the best. It should have ended at the right time like Seinfeld did.
Re: Ubisoft's first Revolution title - Red Steel (7 years ago)
I'm so excited about the possibilties. Turning your gun sideways, throwing grenades and taking cover - all with the exclusive use of the controller.
I love the fact that pulling back your gun will make it reload. Sure, its simple, but its just so much more fun than just pressing a button.
Plus, the game will feature online multiplayer, which is great because it means that Rev will have an online FPS at launch.
The visuals look great. Just imagine how good MP3 will look if this is anything to by!
I love the fact that pulling back your gun will make it reload. Sure, its simple, but its just so much more fun than just pressing a button.
Plus, the game will feature online multiplayer, which is great because it means that Rev will have an online FPS at launch.
The visuals look great. Just imagine how good MP3 will look if this is anything to by!
Revolution in Australia - how will it be received? (7 years ago)
I've been a Nintendo fan for a long time now.
The NES was a work of art. Mario, Zelda, Duck Hunt, Excitebike, Metroid...some true classics. Then the SNES came and delivered some of the best games of all time. The N64 also had the likes of Perfect Dark and Ocarina of Time, certainly near-perfect titles. Three terrific machines.
I was optimistic about the Gamecube. It seemed to have good 3rd party support. It had Rare. And it should have rided off the success of the N64.
But it had none of these things. Sure, it had some amazing titles - Metroid Prime 1 & 2, Resident Evil 4, SSBM, The Wind Waker, Eternal Darkness and F-Zero GX - but 3rd party support, Rare and success? Nope.
I am very disappointed with Nintendo, but more so with Nintendo Australia. Where was the advertising? In fact, where are the GAMES? I go into the local store and find nothing Gamecube, and not much DS to be honest. It's all PSP, PS2 and Xbox.
Then I look at all the Australian websites. Every single one (exluding palgn of course) has NOTHING about Nintendo. Absolutely nothing.
The worst thing is that there are actually many Nintendo fans in Australia. But we are forgotten.
With that said, I'm looking very forward to the Revolution. It's not only very affordable, but it's stylish, polished and has a whole new way of playing games. Plus it has all those Nintendo franchises which we love.
But will us Australian Nintendo fans be forgotten again? When the Revolution launches, will I be easily able to locate the games' positions of the shelves?
When I look on TV and see an Xbox 360 advert, will I be confident that there's a Revolution advert just around the corner?
When I open up my Target catalogue, will I see Revolution systems and games for sale?
People, I am worried. Not for the success of the Revolution - I firmly believe it will be a big success in most of the world. But for us Nintendo fans, how will we be treated? For those who want to buy the system, how will they be treated? Will they be confident that their purchase is the right one? And for those who refuse to buy the system, will they ultimately be the ones who made the right decision?
I want the Revolution. I want it to do well. But Nintendo is so dead in Australia that I'm actually concerned the console won't launch here at all!
So, how do you believe it will be received? Do you believe Nintendo will get back on their feet in Australia?
The NES was a work of art. Mario, Zelda, Duck Hunt, Excitebike, Metroid...some true classics. Then the SNES came and delivered some of the best games of all time. The N64 also had the likes of Perfect Dark and Ocarina of Time, certainly near-perfect titles. Three terrific machines.
I was optimistic about the Gamecube. It seemed to have good 3rd party support. It had Rare. And it should have rided off the success of the N64.
But it had none of these things. Sure, it had some amazing titles - Metroid Prime 1 & 2, Resident Evil 4, SSBM, The Wind Waker, Eternal Darkness and F-Zero GX - but 3rd party support, Rare and success? Nope.
I am very disappointed with Nintendo, but more so with Nintendo Australia. Where was the advertising? In fact, where are the GAMES? I go into the local store and find nothing Gamecube, and not much DS to be honest. It's all PSP, PS2 and Xbox.
Then I look at all the Australian websites. Every single one (exluding palgn of course) has NOTHING about Nintendo. Absolutely nothing.
The worst thing is that there are actually many Nintendo fans in Australia. But we are forgotten.
With that said, I'm looking very forward to the Revolution. It's not only very affordable, but it's stylish, polished and has a whole new way of playing games. Plus it has all those Nintendo franchises which we love.
But will us Australian Nintendo fans be forgotten again? When the Revolution launches, will I be easily able to locate the games' positions of the shelves?
When I look on TV and see an Xbox 360 advert, will I be confident that there's a Revolution advert just around the corner?
When I open up my Target catalogue, will I see Revolution systems and games for sale?
People, I am worried. Not for the success of the Revolution - I firmly believe it will be a big success in most of the world. But for us Nintendo fans, how will we be treated? For those who want to buy the system, how will they be treated? Will they be confident that their purchase is the right one? And for those who refuse to buy the system, will they ultimately be the ones who made the right decision?
I want the Revolution. I want it to do well. But Nintendo is so dead in Australia that I'm actually concerned the console won't launch here at all!
So, how do you believe it will be received? Do you believe Nintendo will get back on their feet in Australia?
Im a Wii and Premium 360 owner, and am very interested in connecting my consoles to the internet to download content as well as play against others.
However, i am very uneducated on this sort of thing and would really appreciate some help.
I live in Ballarat, Victoria. My plan is a Bigpond Broadband Connection, 10GB per month, 512/128. It uses a Siemens SpeedStream 4200 modem, ADSL. I do not have a wireless connection/router.
These were the main things i was wondering -
1. Is my connection sufficient for online connectivity?
2. Will i experience lag when playing against others around the world?
3. How do i go about connecting my consoles to the internet?
The last question i am really confused about - i have heard things about wireless routers and such but would really like some clarification on all of this.
Thankyou!