Wednesday, October 13, 2004

*zing*CRIMSON SEA 2*zing*

is the good one. Crimson Tears is the bad one. Two very similar games. With very simliar names. Yet one is fun to play and makes you want to say 'just one more', and the other is a chore and a bore. Why? Let's find out...
(it's a jazzy review today. hey, here's another thing i like about Katamari Damacy: the soundtrack! Awesome tunes, eclectic tunes)

Here's a difference i noticed: In the good one, (Crimson SEA 2) you're cool to begin with. You don't get the sense that they designed a fully tricked-out character and then removed abilities from him. Unlike certain games. You have a lot of abilities at the start, and the promise of more. You have choices in how you can fight, not just punch-punch-kick combo. Unlike certain games. Even at the beginning you have these choices. Which is good because in both games, you get the impression you're going to be doing a lot of fighting.

In the bad one, (Crimson Tears) it seems like a chore. 'i have to accumulate that many experience points until the next level-up? Sigh.'

In the good one, (Crimson SEA 2) it seems like fun. 'i wonder what that'll be like when it reaches level 3?'

How come? I think it's because of the incremental nature of the advancement system. Here's th difference:
In the bad one, (Crimson Tears) you accumulate enough experience points, you can 'buy' a skill, which is a new move you can use. Then you have to learn how to use it.
In the good one, (Crimson SEA 2) enemies occasionally drop an object, which is an experience 'point' that you can assign to either of your two guns(which is also very cool, by the way- it's like i said above- you don't feel like you're going into battle with the alien Menace armed only with a pistol) or your sword attacks. Or your Psionic attacks. It's actually more complicated than that, but in a good way- you can upgrade the individual attributes of your guns. Power, Range, and Rapid. After awhile of assigning one point here, one point there, you really feel like you've tinkered with your guns and improved them in your own unique way.

Menus. Both tackle the problem of 3-D menus in different ways.

I need to explain something. A menu is not just the 2d screen that comes up at the beginning of the game. It's anywhere you control game functions. This can be within the game. It's expressed in these two games very similarly: there is a 'home base' type area where you can run around, but there are no enemies. Instead, game functions are available. SAve/Load, choice of next mission, item shops, and the 'teleporter' that takes you to the actual missions. See what i mean? it's part of the menu.

Anyway, one is Good: utilitarian, gets the job done. Essential things are all in one room. And one is awful. In the bad one, (Crimson Tears) you have to run all over to do ordinary game functions. A simple example should suffice:

To get to the Weapons & Items Shop:

In the bad one, (Crimson Tears) you go out of the little garage you're in, (fade out, fade in-new screen) run to the right down the street a short ways and through a doorway, (fade out, fade in-new screen) To an alley where 3 people are standing. They are the Shops. You have to talk to each of them individually because they are, respectively, item shop, gun shop, and knife shop. There's no indication which is which, they're just people standing there. All to operate what's essentially a menu.

In the good one, (Crimson SEA 2) You start on the bridge of a starship. Pretty big room. In this room are: a robot that allows you to save your game, another robot who serves as the Shop, and the Teleporter that takes you to the missions. All in one room.

Do you see?

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