The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is one of the greatest books I've read in a long time. I felt compelled to write this review (my first for a book) to tell you what I thought of it.
Steig Larsson's first entry in the three part Millennium Series hits all the right notes that a mystery legal novel should. The story follow budding journalist Mikael Blomkvist. Having just gotten destroyed in court by Hans-Erik Wennerstrom, Mikael receives a call asking him for a job from Henrik Vanger. He wants Mikael to investigate the disappearance of his niece, Harriet, nearly 40 years ago. Mikael reluctantly accepts, and falls in love with Hedeby Island and its inhabitants. He enlists the help of a computer hacker by the name of Lisbeth Salander, after she deliberately hacks his own computer, and together they solve the case, and free Mikael of his embarrassment in court.
The plot is unique, and has many twists and turns like you'd expect, and the story does its best to keep you guessing and has many surprises until the end. The book is very well-written, and the relationship between Mikael and Lisbeth is a sight to behold. They start out cold, barely any interaction with each other, but they warm up and become very good friends. These scenes with both of them are the best in the book, as they help develop the otherwise flat characters into non-stereotypical people. As Mikael and Lisbeth investigate Harriet's disappearance, they meet and greet with the islands many inhabitants, mostly Harriet's relatives, who all hide their own secrets waiting to be revealed, and this makes for a very exciting finish to the book.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a literary achievement. Not only is the plot fantastic, but the characters and how they interact with each other really make the book stand out in a genre full of mystery.
Overall: 4.5/5.0
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Rango Review
Rango is the latest from animation film studios Nickelodeon, and it hits all the sweet spots that an animation film should, featuring a brilliant voice cast, a delightful story, and a new style of animation never seen before.
Rango follows the story of the at-first nameless lizard, who later becomes Rango. He is living the life in his owner's aquarium with his inanimate friends. But one day when his owner is traveling on the highway with Rango in the back of his truck, Rango gets separated from him and is left alone in the desert of an unnamed location. Lost and lonely, Rango finds the city of Dirt, and gets swept up by its inhabitants and is pulled into a plotline to save the town's water supply. It's cute, it's creative, and the cast of characters really makes the show here. Rango, although a little creepy at first, becomes this lovable hero that kids can relate to. Dirt's residents also have their own unique personalities that make the movie standout in the storytelling department.
The animation in Rango is simply stunning. It almost looks real, and the whole atmosphere of the film really makes you feel like your in a western deserted town. Although the characters can be a little frightening, you warm up to them as the movie progresses. The voice acting in Rango is top-notch, featuring Johnny Depp as the lead role and supporting characters voiced by Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, and Bill Nighy. Johnny Depp is in one of his best roles yet, throwing in his humor and charm into the character of Rango.
Rango is a great achievement in animation, featuring stellar voice acting and animation, and a light-hearted story that will charm kids and adults alike.
Overall: 4.5/5.0
Rango follows the story of the at-first nameless lizard, who later becomes Rango. He is living the life in his owner's aquarium with his inanimate friends. But one day when his owner is traveling on the highway with Rango in the back of his truck, Rango gets separated from him and is left alone in the desert of an unnamed location. Lost and lonely, Rango finds the city of Dirt, and gets swept up by its inhabitants and is pulled into a plotline to save the town's water supply. It's cute, it's creative, and the cast of characters really makes the show here. Rango, although a little creepy at first, becomes this lovable hero that kids can relate to. Dirt's residents also have their own unique personalities that make the movie standout in the storytelling department.
The animation in Rango is simply stunning. It almost looks real, and the whole atmosphere of the film really makes you feel like your in a western deserted town. Although the characters can be a little frightening, you warm up to them as the movie progresses. The voice acting in Rango is top-notch, featuring Johnny Depp as the lead role and supporting characters voiced by Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, and Bill Nighy. Johnny Depp is in one of his best roles yet, throwing in his humor and charm into the character of Rango.
Rango is a great achievement in animation, featuring stellar voice acting and animation, and a light-hearted story that will charm kids and adults alike.
Overall: 4.5/5.0
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Nintendo 3DS - My Thoughts
It's here. My 3DS came in the mail today, and I was so excited to get started! But first, I had to read the phone book. Not literally, the phone book, I mean the manual for the 3DS. It's freakin' huge, and I obviously didn't bother with reading the whole thing, because I pretty much knew how it worked.
The giant box came with the 3DS, charger cord, base thing to charge on, AR cards (which I'll get to later), and a ton of manuals/promotional goodies. My garbage can was filled after opening. So I turned on my 3DS, and had to get briefed on basic information and stuff, and then the 3-D was turned on. Holy Crap...my mind was blown. This device is incredible, to be able to display 3-D without glasses! That's amazing. There is a spot where you get the most of the 3-D, and you sometimes have to position your head so you're right in the sweet spot, which couldn't be helped, but other than that, the 3-D was flawless. It added a whole new layer to an already brilliant handheld.
I also picked up Pilotwings: Resort and the review will be up later, but now I'm going to speak about the basic functions included with the 3DS. As most of you know, the 3DS features two 3-D cameras, something I've never seen or used in my entire life, and me, being the photography enthusiast, that was the first thing I went to. The resolution blows, but it's understandable, given that it's a tiny handheld, but the 3-D pictures look awesome, and although they're not 3-D when you place them in a computer, they're still fun to look at and mess around with. Also included is the 3DS sound studio thing, which is basically a repeat of what came with the DSi. Also new is a Mii Maker, which lets you create your adorable little avatars that we all know from the Wii. You can snap a photo of yourself, and your Mii will be made for you, but making it manually is more fun and rewarding.
There are some fun games included with the 3DS, one of these being Face Raiders, where you use the 3DS's gyroscoping capabilities to shoot down little bug monsters that have your or your friends' faces on them. It's fun, but by no means is it the star of the show here. I said that the package came with AR cards, short for augmented reality cards. These are little cards that you place on a flat surface, and then your 3DS can read them magically and you can play awesome little minigames with them. It's a lot of fun, and all your favorite Nintendo characters join in, and it's cool to see the world around you change with these cards.
I have yet to get to StreetPass and SpotPass abilities, because I haven't even taken a look or found someone with a 3DS yet. Once I do, though, be counting on an in-depth discussion about them. I was pleasantly surprised with the Wi-Fi capabilities this time. The old DS's couldn't read my home's wifi, because we're wired with an Apple network, but my 3DS reads it just fine, just like my Wii would, and now I can finally take full advantage of some old DS games. Speaking of which, the 3DS is fully backwards compatible with previous DS titles, but be noted that there is no GBA slot to be seen, which is kind of a disappointment.
The biggest upset, surprisingly, is the battery life. I could only squeeze 4 hours out of my 3DS with 3-D on to the fullest, until it went red and had to be recharged. This is a huge disappointment, especially for long rides or plane flights, when no charge capabilities are in sight. Of course, you could turn the 3-D down and change the brightness level to increase your time.
Like almost all of Nintendo's handhelds, the 3DS is phenomenal. What it can do is beyond my thoughts, and I'm really excited to see where it can go in the future. Stay tuned on my blog for more 3DS news and reviews.
The giant box came with the 3DS, charger cord, base thing to charge on, AR cards (which I'll get to later), and a ton of manuals/promotional goodies. My garbage can was filled after opening. So I turned on my 3DS, and had to get briefed on basic information and stuff, and then the 3-D was turned on. Holy Crap...my mind was blown. This device is incredible, to be able to display 3-D without glasses! That's amazing. There is a spot where you get the most of the 3-D, and you sometimes have to position your head so you're right in the sweet spot, which couldn't be helped, but other than that, the 3-D was flawless. It added a whole new layer to an already brilliant handheld.
I also picked up Pilotwings: Resort and the review will be up later, but now I'm going to speak about the basic functions included with the 3DS. As most of you know, the 3DS features two 3-D cameras, something I've never seen or used in my entire life, and me, being the photography enthusiast, that was the first thing I went to. The resolution blows, but it's understandable, given that it's a tiny handheld, but the 3-D pictures look awesome, and although they're not 3-D when you place them in a computer, they're still fun to look at and mess around with. Also included is the 3DS sound studio thing, which is basically a repeat of what came with the DSi. Also new is a Mii Maker, which lets you create your adorable little avatars that we all know from the Wii. You can snap a photo of yourself, and your Mii will be made for you, but making it manually is more fun and rewarding.
There are some fun games included with the 3DS, one of these being Face Raiders, where you use the 3DS's gyroscoping capabilities to shoot down little bug monsters that have your or your friends' faces on them. It's fun, but by no means is it the star of the show here. I said that the package came with AR cards, short for augmented reality cards. These are little cards that you place on a flat surface, and then your 3DS can read them magically and you can play awesome little minigames with them. It's a lot of fun, and all your favorite Nintendo characters join in, and it's cool to see the world around you change with these cards.
I have yet to get to StreetPass and SpotPass abilities, because I haven't even taken a look or found someone with a 3DS yet. Once I do, though, be counting on an in-depth discussion about them. I was pleasantly surprised with the Wi-Fi capabilities this time. The old DS's couldn't read my home's wifi, because we're wired with an Apple network, but my 3DS reads it just fine, just like my Wii would, and now I can finally take full advantage of some old DS games. Speaking of which, the 3DS is fully backwards compatible with previous DS titles, but be noted that there is no GBA slot to be seen, which is kind of a disappointment.
The biggest upset, surprisingly, is the battery life. I could only squeeze 4 hours out of my 3DS with 3-D on to the fullest, until it went red and had to be recharged. This is a huge disappointment, especially for long rides or plane flights, when no charge capabilities are in sight. Of course, you could turn the 3-D down and change the brightness level to increase your time.
Like almost all of Nintendo's handhelds, the 3DS is phenomenal. What it can do is beyond my thoughts, and I'm really excited to see where it can go in the future. Stay tuned on my blog for more 3DS news and reviews.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Pokemon Black/ White Review
Pokemon Black/White (DS)
The DS is dead. Face it. With the 3DS less than three weeks away, Pokemon Black/White seem like the system is saying goodbye with one final great game.
Pokemon Black and White are all-new. You won't see any old Pokemon, and this is good, as it allows for more strategizing than just re-using your old teams from past games. You start back at Route 1, and it's all new from there. Surprisingly, B/W actually have a story, and it involves Team Plasma, and they delve into Pokemon morality and if keeping them trapped in Poke Balls is the right thing. It's a really touchy topic, and as you delve deeper into the game, Team Plasma attacks you at every team and makes you re-think yourself. It's a nice new twist for a Pokemon game.
Although the story is new, the gameplay isn't. It's tried and true Pokemon formula. You're still a young Pokemon trainer, hoping to rise the ranks, beat the gym leaders, and eventually become the Pokemon master. It's formulaic, but that's because it works. There are significantly new changes to the gameplay, as well. You actually have friends now, and they show up a lot, and you can challenge them and chat whenever you'd like. The battles are basically the same, except your Pokemon move now! New gameplay features include triple battles and rotation battles, and these all offer new strategies than just the old 1 v 1 battles. The Unova Region is one of the coolest regions in Pokemon yet. The cities feel fresh, and all the locations and things to do are really unique. There are also subtle new changes such as the merging of Pokemon Centers and PokeMarts, making for one easy stop for all your needs.
This brings us to the graphics. The game looks great, and there are some phenomenal sequences aboard bridges that really take full use of the DS's hardware capabilities. That being said, the battles look bad, and the Pokemon are downright ugly. They're so uncreative, and have ridiculous names. I know there's only a certain amount of Pokemon that can be made before you have to resort to this, but, come on, these Pokemon are hideous. The same can't be said about the soundtrack, and it offers catchy Route tunes and new city music reminiscent of Diamond and Pearl's tunes.
The multiplayer this time around has been completely revamped, and instead of having a huge building to do all your global trading/battling needs, you have the C-Gear. The C-Gear goes on the bottom screen and you can do almost every Wi-Fi function with it: trade, battle, look at records, you name it. This makes it much easier than having to go to a Pokemon Center, and you can also now trade Pokemon in your PC, instead of having to leave the room and restock Pokemon to trade.
Pokemon Black/White are a refreshing new take on the same old Pokemon formula. They're great for beginners starting on square one, and they're great for seasoned players looking for a new spin.
Pros:
New Gameplay Elements
A story!!
Fantastic Soundtrack
Cons:
Ugly Pokemon
Passable Graphics
Overall: 9.0/10.0
The DS is dead. Face it. With the 3DS less than three weeks away, Pokemon Black/White seem like the system is saying goodbye with one final great game.
Pokemon Black and White are all-new. You won't see any old Pokemon, and this is good, as it allows for more strategizing than just re-using your old teams from past games. You start back at Route 1, and it's all new from there. Surprisingly, B/W actually have a story, and it involves Team Plasma, and they delve into Pokemon morality and if keeping them trapped in Poke Balls is the right thing. It's a really touchy topic, and as you delve deeper into the game, Team Plasma attacks you at every team and makes you re-think yourself. It's a nice new twist for a Pokemon game.
Although the story is new, the gameplay isn't. It's tried and true Pokemon formula. You're still a young Pokemon trainer, hoping to rise the ranks, beat the gym leaders, and eventually become the Pokemon master. It's formulaic, but that's because it works. There are significantly new changes to the gameplay, as well. You actually have friends now, and they show up a lot, and you can challenge them and chat whenever you'd like. The battles are basically the same, except your Pokemon move now! New gameplay features include triple battles and rotation battles, and these all offer new strategies than just the old 1 v 1 battles. The Unova Region is one of the coolest regions in Pokemon yet. The cities feel fresh, and all the locations and things to do are really unique. There are also subtle new changes such as the merging of Pokemon Centers and PokeMarts, making for one easy stop for all your needs.
This brings us to the graphics. The game looks great, and there are some phenomenal sequences aboard bridges that really take full use of the DS's hardware capabilities. That being said, the battles look bad, and the Pokemon are downright ugly. They're so uncreative, and have ridiculous names. I know there's only a certain amount of Pokemon that can be made before you have to resort to this, but, come on, these Pokemon are hideous. The same can't be said about the soundtrack, and it offers catchy Route tunes and new city music reminiscent of Diamond and Pearl's tunes.
The multiplayer this time around has been completely revamped, and instead of having a huge building to do all your global trading/battling needs, you have the C-Gear. The C-Gear goes on the bottom screen and you can do almost every Wi-Fi function with it: trade, battle, look at records, you name it. This makes it much easier than having to go to a Pokemon Center, and you can also now trade Pokemon in your PC, instead of having to leave the room and restock Pokemon to trade.
Pokemon Black/White are a refreshing new take on the same old Pokemon formula. They're great for beginners starting on square one, and they're great for seasoned players looking for a new spin.
Pros:
New Gameplay Elements
A story!!
Fantastic Soundtrack
Cons:
Ugly Pokemon
Passable Graphics
Overall: 9.0/10.0
Monday, February 21, 2011
TRON: Legacy Review
I am a huge TRON fan. I loved the original from the '80s, and it was a real treat for my dad and I to go see this on opening night.
TRON: Legacy is somewhat dubbed as a "sequel", but I'm not sure that it fits into that category. The story picks up with Kevin Flynn's son, Sam, winding up into the TRON world that his father was trapped in, and having to rescue him. He enters The Grid, and is challenged to visually-stunning Light Cycle matches and Disc battles, and later teams up with Quorra to help his father take down Clu. The story is a little farfetch'd, and it's kind of ridiculous, even considering the fact that they're in a video game. It seems very little-kiddish, if that makes sense, because it's not confusing by any means, and a child could understand it, which is good because I'm guessing that that was Disney's main audience.
The acting is good, not great, with Jeff Bridges reprising his role as Kevin Flynn, and also providing the voice of the villain, Clu. Garrett Hedlund plays Sam Flynn, Kevin's son, and he is by no means a good actor. His lines aren't believable, and he doesn't really fit the role. Olivia Wilde plays Quorra, a program who helps them along their way, and I thought that she stole the show. Those are the main characters, and the movie even features a guest star, Daft Punk, as DJs in one of the city's nightclubs.
As stated earlier, the visuals are PHENOMENAL! I saw it in 3-D, and I consider this one of the few movies that is worth the $2.50 surcharge. The visuals are incredible, and The Grid comes to life with dazzling buildings and beautiful effects popping out at you. The Light Cycle race is a scene to remember, and fans of the original won't be disappointed with the high-speed race. The music is actually wonderful, as well. Daft Punk provides us with some high-end tunes, and also give some interesting background music that literally plays for the whole film.
TRON: Legacy is a fantastic return to The Grid, featuring dazzling special effects, good acting, and all this overshadows a less-than-decent storyline.
Overall: 4/5 and Joey Recommends
TRON: Legacy is somewhat dubbed as a "sequel", but I'm not sure that it fits into that category. The story picks up with Kevin Flynn's son, Sam, winding up into the TRON world that his father was trapped in, and having to rescue him. He enters The Grid, and is challenged to visually-stunning Light Cycle matches and Disc battles, and later teams up with Quorra to help his father take down Clu. The story is a little farfetch'd, and it's kind of ridiculous, even considering the fact that they're in a video game. It seems very little-kiddish, if that makes sense, because it's not confusing by any means, and a child could understand it, which is good because I'm guessing that that was Disney's main audience.
The acting is good, not great, with Jeff Bridges reprising his role as Kevin Flynn, and also providing the voice of the villain, Clu. Garrett Hedlund plays Sam Flynn, Kevin's son, and he is by no means a good actor. His lines aren't believable, and he doesn't really fit the role. Olivia Wilde plays Quorra, a program who helps them along their way, and I thought that she stole the show. Those are the main characters, and the movie even features a guest star, Daft Punk, as DJs in one of the city's nightclubs.
As stated earlier, the visuals are PHENOMENAL! I saw it in 3-D, and I consider this one of the few movies that is worth the $2.50 surcharge. The visuals are incredible, and The Grid comes to life with dazzling buildings and beautiful effects popping out at you. The Light Cycle race is a scene to remember, and fans of the original won't be disappointed with the high-speed race. The music is actually wonderful, as well. Daft Punk provides us with some high-end tunes, and also give some interesting background music that literally plays for the whole film.
TRON: Legacy is a fantastic return to The Grid, featuring dazzling special effects, good acting, and all this overshadows a less-than-decent storyline.
Overall: 4/5 and Joey Recommends
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Goldeneye 007 Review
Goldeneye 007 (Wii)
Goldeneye is a classic. On the N64, that is. Its near-perfect gameplay set the standard for FPSs in the future, and without it, we may not be in the era of FPSs as we are today. So, it's a given that a re-make would be coming, and lo and behold, it did. Goldeneye 007 manages to capture what made the original so great, and twist it up enough to offer something unique and fresh.
Goldeneye 007 on Wii features Daniel Craig as James Bond, instead of the original Pierce Brosnan. It's a nice touch, because we get Craig's interpretation of the Bond character, and it switches minor details in the story that were changed from the original. An example is the parachute off the dam, except this time, there's no parachute. Goldeneye 007 manages to do this without feeling too generic, and Daniel Craig does the game justice. The story is pretty much the same, with just minor changes, such as locations. The whole game has more of a 21st-century look, and features changes from the '97 original that would be out of place today.
Goldeneye features about 15 story missions, and these are a lot of fun. You really feel like James Bond, and the game switches from high-octane shoot outs to quiet stealth sequences, and these make the game nice and balanced. There are many ways to traverse through the level, and the game rewards you with finding unique ways to approach sections of the level. Maybe, by going through a door, you alert the guards and have a shootout on your hands, or, by sneaking through the vent, you can bypass the enemies and take them out silently. Each level has 4 difficulty settings, and each adds an extra objective, such as collecting ammunition caches or destroying a computer. James has a variety of weapons at his disposal, and the game makes excellent use of the Wiimote's pointer, offering precision like none other. Other control options include the classic controller and Gamecube controller. You aim with the Wiimote, and take-downs are performed with a flick of the Nunchuck.
The multiplayer on the N64 original was what was king in that game, and Goldeneye offers a unique multiplayer experience both offline and online. Up to four players can battle it out using a variety of classic characters from the Bond franchise. There are fun modifiers to change-up the gameplay, such as paintball mode or big hands, and, although goofy, they add some fun to the local multiplayer. Online is amazing, and features some of the best online features and modes that I've seen in a long time. You can play with up to 7 others at once, and there are a handful of different game modes to play, such as basic Conflict, Team Conflict, Golden Gun, and Black Box just to name a few. There isn't a dud game in the package. The online uses an XP system, similar to Call of Duty, and each kill earns you experience to help you level up and gain access to new perks and weapon sets. Strangely, there's no Wii Speak support, so it's sometimes difficult to develop strategies while playing on a team.
Graphics on Goldeneye are sub-par, with boring textures, and last-gen graphics, but, honestly, I didn't care. The voice acting was great, featuring Daniel Craig as Bond and Judi Dench as M, who briefs you before each mission. Music in Goldeneye is quiet, spy tunes, with monotonous elevator musak while in the menus. Goldeneye also features, like every Bond game should, a remarkable re-make of Tina Turner's "Goldeneye", written by Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls, which plays after the opening mission.
Goldenye is a brilliant returns to one of the greatest video games of all time. It features enough to make any N64 kid nostalgic, while offering something new for the newcomer to Goldeneye.
Pros:
Great Presentation
Mix of Action & Stealth Gameplay
Brilliant Online
Voice Acting
Cons:
Last-gen graphics
No WiiSpeak support
Overall: 9.0/10.0
Goldeneye is a classic. On the N64, that is. Its near-perfect gameplay set the standard for FPSs in the future, and without it, we may not be in the era of FPSs as we are today. So, it's a given that a re-make would be coming, and lo and behold, it did. Goldeneye 007 manages to capture what made the original so great, and twist it up enough to offer something unique and fresh.
Goldeneye 007 on Wii features Daniel Craig as James Bond, instead of the original Pierce Brosnan. It's a nice touch, because we get Craig's interpretation of the Bond character, and it switches minor details in the story that were changed from the original. An example is the parachute off the dam, except this time, there's no parachute. Goldeneye 007 manages to do this without feeling too generic, and Daniel Craig does the game justice. The story is pretty much the same, with just minor changes, such as locations. The whole game has more of a 21st-century look, and features changes from the '97 original that would be out of place today.
Goldeneye features about 15 story missions, and these are a lot of fun. You really feel like James Bond, and the game switches from high-octane shoot outs to quiet stealth sequences, and these make the game nice and balanced. There are many ways to traverse through the level, and the game rewards you with finding unique ways to approach sections of the level. Maybe, by going through a door, you alert the guards and have a shootout on your hands, or, by sneaking through the vent, you can bypass the enemies and take them out silently. Each level has 4 difficulty settings, and each adds an extra objective, such as collecting ammunition caches or destroying a computer. James has a variety of weapons at his disposal, and the game makes excellent use of the Wiimote's pointer, offering precision like none other. Other control options include the classic controller and Gamecube controller. You aim with the Wiimote, and take-downs are performed with a flick of the Nunchuck.
The multiplayer on the N64 original was what was king in that game, and Goldeneye offers a unique multiplayer experience both offline and online. Up to four players can battle it out using a variety of classic characters from the Bond franchise. There are fun modifiers to change-up the gameplay, such as paintball mode or big hands, and, although goofy, they add some fun to the local multiplayer. Online is amazing, and features some of the best online features and modes that I've seen in a long time. You can play with up to 7 others at once, and there are a handful of different game modes to play, such as basic Conflict, Team Conflict, Golden Gun, and Black Box just to name a few. There isn't a dud game in the package. The online uses an XP system, similar to Call of Duty, and each kill earns you experience to help you level up and gain access to new perks and weapon sets. Strangely, there's no Wii Speak support, so it's sometimes difficult to develop strategies while playing on a team.
Graphics on Goldeneye are sub-par, with boring textures, and last-gen graphics, but, honestly, I didn't care. The voice acting was great, featuring Daniel Craig as Bond and Judi Dench as M, who briefs you before each mission. Music in Goldeneye is quiet, spy tunes, with monotonous elevator musak while in the menus. Goldeneye also features, like every Bond game should, a remarkable re-make of Tina Turner's "Goldeneye", written by Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls, which plays after the opening mission.
Goldenye is a brilliant returns to one of the greatest video games of all time. It features enough to make any N64 kid nostalgic, while offering something new for the newcomer to Goldeneye.
Pros:
Great Presentation
Mix of Action & Stealth Gameplay
Brilliant Online
Voice Acting
Cons:
Last-gen graphics
No WiiSpeak support
Overall: 9.0/10.0
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Fluidity Review
Fluidity (WiiWare)
This is my first WiiWare review, so bear with me. Fluidity is a unique puzzle game in which you control water and its many forms. The game is built on an impressive physics engine with very cool effects. The goal of the game is to save Aquaticus, a book overridden with an evil black goo called the Influence. You do this by collecting the 90+ rainbow drops scattered throughout four chapters.
Fluidity's gameplay is where it shines the most. You control water by tilting the Wiimote and moving it left to right. You can jump by lifting the Wiimote up, and you'll acquire new skills such as the ability to gather your water in a ball, and these are assigned to different buttons. Although I can't help feeling that this game is more suited to the iPhone, it still works really well on Wii. As said before, you not only control water, but also a cloud and a block of ice, both adding new elements to the great gameplay.
To get your precious rainbow drops, there are a variety of challenges throughout each chapter to take on. You may be putting out a fire, or collecting a fish back into its bowl, and the formula never gets old. The main game will take a while to complete, with 90+ rainbow drops, bonus puzzle pieces to collect, and mini-games to play.
The graphics in Fluidity are decent, with cute cartoony villages mixed in with dark, influence-ridden caverns. Everything bursts with color, and it looks good on the Wii. The sound is boring, with elevator music being played on repeat throughout each page of the book.
At 1200 Wii Points, Fluidity is a bit pricey, but it's worth it thanks to a cool physics engine and great gameplay.
Pros:
Awesome Physics Engine
Great Gameplay
Cons:
Music
High Price
Overall: 8.0/10.0
This is my first WiiWare review, so bear with me. Fluidity is a unique puzzle game in which you control water and its many forms. The game is built on an impressive physics engine with very cool effects. The goal of the game is to save Aquaticus, a book overridden with an evil black goo called the Influence. You do this by collecting the 90+ rainbow drops scattered throughout four chapters.
Fluidity's gameplay is where it shines the most. You control water by tilting the Wiimote and moving it left to right. You can jump by lifting the Wiimote up, and you'll acquire new skills such as the ability to gather your water in a ball, and these are assigned to different buttons. Although I can't help feeling that this game is more suited to the iPhone, it still works really well on Wii. As said before, you not only control water, but also a cloud and a block of ice, both adding new elements to the great gameplay.
To get your precious rainbow drops, there are a variety of challenges throughout each chapter to take on. You may be putting out a fire, or collecting a fish back into its bowl, and the formula never gets old. The main game will take a while to complete, with 90+ rainbow drops, bonus puzzle pieces to collect, and mini-games to play.
The graphics in Fluidity are decent, with cute cartoony villages mixed in with dark, influence-ridden caverns. Everything bursts with color, and it looks good on the Wii. The sound is boring, with elevator music being played on repeat throughout each page of the book.
At 1200 Wii Points, Fluidity is a bit pricey, but it's worth it thanks to a cool physics engine and great gameplay.
Pros:
Awesome Physics Engine
Great Gameplay
Cons:
Music
High Price
Overall: 8.0/10.0
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