Op Ed Rerun: Gaming Archetype 3-Point Paradigm

So, I've been watching my good friend Oliver (@oliverbcampbell on Twitter) play Middle Earth: Shadow of War recently and it's brought to mind a pattern that I've seen in gamers as a whole. It's taken me a couple days to really mull this over, but I still want to articulate this and at least start the conversation. From what I've seen, gamers tend to fall into something of a 3-point Paradigm. All Triforce jokes aside, whether you're casual, pro, or any of the myriad qualifiers in between, when you get into gaming, you're likely to fall somewhere within this paradigm.

At the 3 points are the archetypes that I call Synergist, Synchronist, and Strategist.

Synchronists are the types of gamers that really manage to immerse themselves once they lay hands on the controller and start their chosen game. They form something of a direct 1-to-1 connection and can play as though they are immediately experiencing the scenarios built into the game. Even when you see someone lean with every turn their vehicle makes or flinch when their character takes a particularly brutal hit... That means they'd synced with the game to some degree. Playing shooters like Overwatch, a pure Synchronist can fine-tune their own reaction speed and accuracy to make seemingly lumbering characters like Zarya or Reinhardt into quick-draw terrors.

Synergists differ from Synchronists in that these types of gamers are more reactive, as opposed to being more reflexive. A pure Synergist is like a good improv partner. Their greatest strength is being able to take what's presented and play off of it, thereby interacting with the game they play from more of a "conversational" angle. Let's take free-flow combat games like WB's Arkham and Middle Earth titles, for example. Some gamers, like Oliver, adjust to the flow and systems and match their own reflexes and muscle memory to the games. In that instance, he could be counted as more of a Synchronist. I, on the other hand, take a bit of a broader view and play not as if I were Talion but rather as if I were in Talion's position. I leverage my observational vantage point to get the same results as my friend's reflexive playstyle.

The third vertex of this triangle is inhabited by folks that I like to call "Strategists." Strategists are the type of gamer that interact with their chosen title by digging into the built-in and external meta of the game. Their domain is collision detection, frame data, pluses or minuses on block/hit, etc. Those who are heavy Strategists generally have a wealth of experience under their thumbs/joysticks and, more often than not, come to capitalize on this knowledge to educate as well as excel. Commentators like "Tasty Steve" Scott (@Tasty_Steve) and David "UltraDavid" Graham (@ultradavid) are prime examples.

All gamers show traits from these three archetypes in the way they play. From the casual to the global competitor. While everyone falls within the bounds of this triangle, pros tend to characterize one or more of these archetypes to an extreme level.

At the end of the day, what does this all mean? Simple. We can all excel at and enjoy gaming not just for what gaming is... but for what WE as gamers are and what we each bring to the table. Or Triforce. However you want to put it. Just some food for thought for you. On that note, Work Hard, Game Harder and as always:

Stay Good, Neighborhood.

***Ace's Note: Originally written and posted on 12 October, 2017)

The Backlog EX: Yakuza Kiwami

Over the last few reviews, I've (hopefully) established the purpose of The Backlog. The “Big Question” that these reviews and videos hopes to ask.

“Can these classic games stand the tests of time and competition?”

My general conclusion is that if certain games can be preserved via review or fully remade, that these classics can still be relevant in the modern gaming age. It's about opening the time capsule that contains some of our most cherished gaming memories. It's about letting the rose-colored lenses, the scales of nostalgia, fall away from our eyes for long enough to examine these games from a fresh perspective. There's no more immediate answer to the “Big Question” than Yakuza Kiwami.

A special thanks goes our to Sega of America for providing the Metro City Boys a review code for this game so that I was fortunate enough to get in at least a week and a half worth of game time in preparation for this review. With that said, Let's Rumble!

Sights and Sounds

Yes, ladies and gentlemen. This is a full remake of the original sleeper hit Ryu Ga Gotoku, aka Yakuza, initially released on the PlayStation 2 in the US in December of 2005. The major and immediate difference between this and the original classic is that the game was realized and rebuilt using the same framework that powered the stellar prequel that was released earlier this year, Yakuza Zero. As this is a direct follow-up to Yakuza Zero, those that played the previous game will immediately recognize our man-of-the-hour, Kazuma Kiryu.

Not only will Kiryu be looking absolutely dapper in his iconic gray suit and deep crimson dress shirt, but players will also be treated to the familiar and always hopping red-light district, Kamurocho. Since the game is utilizing the same engine as Yakuza Zero, everything in this entry in the franchise looks absolutely stunning. Vibrant colors and bright neon lights pulse with the heartbeat of the district, the people milling about and going about their daily lives add a great sense of reality to the setting and the major characters look incredible!

Not only does Kiwami look absolutely stellar, but the game SOUNDS so much better, too! Gone are the English dubs, for better or worse (so long Michael Madsen and Mark Hamill), in exchange for re-recorded Japanese audio dialogue. The voice talent from Yakuza Zero, as expected, returns reprise their roles in this follow-up. Kiryu has that rock-solid, almost pensive air about him while in contrast, rival gangster Goro Majima sounds manic, frantic and downright nutty! Even during the times where I had to look away from the screen for any given reason, simply listening to the characters as they spoke was a treat.

Not to be forgotten, the remixed soundtrack of Yakuza Kiwami is just as much an improvement over the original as the visuals. Kiryu's furious blows and brutal slams land with a visceral impact. You can hear the metal twisting every time you bludgeon an enemy with a nearby bicycle or motorcycle! The musical score is enough to bring just that much more hype to every encounter and never gets dull. When we're talking the incredible sights or the hard-hitting sounds of Kamurocho, the best response I can relay to you is that good ol' reaction macro of Pacha from the Emperor's New Groove. YOU KNOW THE ONE!

Going Hands-On

This will be said a lot over the course of this review, but those that have played Yakuza Zero will feel right at home with Kiwami. Those that have played any of the Yakuza games will feel right at home with this one. Much like with the visuals and the sounds, the gameplay has also been preserved from Yakuza Zero for use with Kiwami. Of course, since you're only controlling one hero this time, as opposed to two, one might think that this sequel actually takes away from the plethora of mechanics offered in the previous title. I can assure you that this isn't the case.

The standard character progression trees (Body, Soul and Technique) are still present, this time requiring levels of experience to build upon and upgrade as opposed to using the thematically ludicrous amounts of yen you earn in the previous game to “invest in yourself.” While Body is used to increase your overall health and offensive capability and Soul increases your Heat, allowing for more devastating special attacks, Technique will be where you find the upgrades to Kiryu's Brawler, Rush and Beast combat styles.

Speaking of which, Kiryu will have access to all of those styles and even his ultimate “Dragon of Dojima” style right from the start of the game! A true carryover from Zero! Although, a particular story event right at the start of the game will be used as the explanation of why you have to start from scratch in terms of leveling Kiryu up. To be honest, it's actually a clever and even reasonable explanation that offers plenty of motivation to commit to the grind. Additional abilities that allow you to cancel and switch between the different styles mid-action make the combat even more fluid than before.

On the topic of the Dragon of Dojima style, that has its own separate skill tree and is tied to the newly introduced (unique to this remake) “Majima Everywhere” system. Put simply, since Majima is such a beloved character, the game was rebuilt to include segments where you can encounter Majima at any point and any location in the game outside of the established story encounter. After each victory over the Mad Dog of Shimano, you receive an upgrade to the DoD style, adding new abilities which even include attacks and weapon masteries taken right from Majima himself!

Now, no Yakuza game is complete without the usual distractions, sidequests and miscellaneous tidbits that come with it. Yakuza Kiwami has that in spades. You've got the return of the slot car racing from Zero and even the classic karaoke and crane minigames. There's even casino gambling, darts, and billiards! You know, the real classy adult-type stuff. However... I need to take a moment to talk about the minigame that supposedly FOR KIDS. That is none other than “MesuKing.” Seriously, can we talk about this?

It's like insect battling (a classic hobby among Japanese youth in the 90s), mixed with Rumble Roses and it plays like the Rock/Paper/Scissors catfight minigame from Yakuza Zero. It's probably one of the craziest things I've seen in this series and it's the part of the game that gets the most consistent laughter out of me. Now, keep in mind: these are scantily-clad women cosplaying as various insects and engaging in some pretty serious wrestling and humiliation/submission combat. THIS GAME IS SAID TO BE FOR KIDS!!! The kids in the Club Sega arcade actually PLAY THIS GAME. LEGIT COMPETITION!

Suffice it to say, Yakuza Kiwami is no slouch in the “wild-and-wacky” department.

Compare and Contrast

This time around, asking the Big Question is a bit of a tricky proposition. The reason being that this game is actually the ANSWER to said question. The Yakuza series is incredibly beloved in Japan and Yakuza Zero really catapulted the series into the gaming zeitgeist in the West. So, we can readily see just how well it stacks up against its competition. Considering the state of the beat-em-up, action RPG genre and open-world adventure genres, there are very few games that could be considered direct competitors.

There was one point where a large majority of the casual gaming public looked at Yakuza as a derivative Rockstar's GTA series. However, over the course of the franchise the Yakuza games have proven to be far more than and far beyond being a mere derivative work. Similarities in the expansive living world and the numerous amounts of side-story content can be made between Yakuza and GTA, to be sure. However, that's where those similarities end.

Long Story Short

In the past, I've referred to this game as the distilled essence of what a good friend of mine dubbed “casual insanity.” The Yakuza series seamlessly blends together gritty crime drama with off-the-wall moments that one would think would break the immersion in a game dealing with subject matter such as this. How one manages to take things like Shun Akiyama's “magazine suppository” in Yakuza 4 or the outrageously adult but still tasteful “MesuKing” and intertwine them with the gripping samurai-esque story of Kazuma Kiryu is a feat seemingly known only to the developers of this awesome franchise.

To be quite frank, the very existence of Yakuza Kiwami is the answer to whether the original can stand the test of time. As to how it stacks up against its competition, the fact that there was enough demand for this game to be made let alone localized and brought to the West should be evidence enough of how that could be answered. If this wasn't clear enough, Sega is making another statement with the announcement of a Kiwami remake for Yakuza 2, utilizing the Dragon Engine that powers Yakuza 6.

Kiwami is a love letter to fans of the series that have stuck with it since the beginning. It also serves as a killer continuation for those who had their first taste of Kamurocho with Yakuza Zero. At $30, this game is a STEAL for the amount of content you receive right out of the box. With all that said, get out there and Get. This. Game. You won't be disappointed. So, until next time:

Stay Good Neighborhood.

*** Ace's Note: This is a Backlog review that I, unfortunately, never got around to making a video for. However, I still wanted to write this up as a way to keep fresh in my mind what these reviews are all about as well as the format I've established. Enjoy!

Review Rerun: The Backlog – Episode 3: Onimusha 3 - Demon Siege

With Marvel vs Capcom Infinite fast approaching release, I've taken some time to look at the conversation surrounding the game. The vast majority of the criticism stemmed from the seeming lack of characters on the roster. Fresh faces. Nods to beloved and forgotten franchises cast aside by the former premier fighting game developer in favor of their perennial cash cows. Among the characters and series that've been long-clamored for (by myself as well as many others), there exists the tale of... a samurai.

There have been numerous games to come onto the scene that take historical fiction and turn the content into an imminently entertaining time on the consoles for which they've been developed. The Musou games, Bladestorm and most recently Ni-Oh from Koei Tecmo immediately spring to mind. However, Capcom has been taking their stab at historical fiction action games as well with the Sengoku Basara series and, of course, Onimusha.

While the first game in the series, Onimusha: Warlords, could be described as “Resident Evil w/samurai” and the follow-up (Samurai's Destiny) introduced players to Magoichi, Fuuma, Ekei and a Jubei Yagyu that looks strangely like action legend Sonny Chiba, it was Onimusha 3: Demon Siege that really got its hooks into me as a gamer and endeared me to this series. It's time, once again, to dive into The Backlog and see just what this game brings to the table. So polish your Oni Gauntlets and sharpen your swords.

Sights and Sounds

For a game that came onto the scene in the early third of the PS2's life cycle, the rendering and overall visual design of this entry in the series is pretty solid! One could only imagine how Onimusha 3 would look when the textures and models are scaled up to any of the widely recognized HD resolutions. All that aside, considering that Onimusha 3 sees the return of the main hero from the first game as well as antagonists from the first two, a lot of the enemies are recycled foes. So, if you've had plenty of time to face off against the Genma archers or the brutes with the tetsubo, then you've got a good understanding of what to expect.

There certainly are a few new faces to deal with, though, like those creepy slug-type monsters that split into smaller spawn when defeated by normal attacks. There are also new floating wizard-type enemies that cast rings to either damage or freeze you in place. There are also, of course, new locations for you to traverse through in your battle against the Genma. This is bolstered by the fact that the game takes place across two different time periods: Sengoku Era Japan and Paris, France circa 2004.

From a visual standpoint, one of the highlights of this game is the beautifully mo-capped opening sequence directed by none other than Donnie Yen. Another big visual draw is the rendered likeness of returning star Takeshi Kaneshiro as he's teamed up with Jean Reno the leading man in Leon the Professional.

When it comes to the sounds of Onimusha, everything is sufficiently thematic for a supernatural fantasy game. Clashes and slashes have a certain weight to them, the Genma howl and screech with unsettling feral tones. Spoken dialog can be a bit rough on the delivery, but is solid nonetheless. The definite high point of the sound design, though, is the soundtrack. In particular, the return of Samanosuke's theme from the first game in the series.

To say that this looks and sounds like an Onimusha game, well that's a given. However, compared to the first, Onimusha 3 had gotten quite a bit of polish and it certainly shows.

Going Hands-On

It's not just in the audiovisual department that Onimusha 3 is a step up from its immediate predecessors. The gameplay has been considerably refined and even expanded on for this iteration. While movement is still on the tanky side, combat has seen some improvements that make the action feel a lot more fluid once you pick up the controller. Even after going for years without playing it, I was able to quickly adjust to the movement, targeting and pacing of attacks. Acquiring the new slate of Oni weaponry was just as rewarding as always. Re-learning various strategies in the Oni training was a joy and unique abilities were powerful, yet incredibly well balanced.

This is only enhanced by the fact that there are two fully playable heroes, this time around. Samanosuke is familiar territory for fans of the series that've stuck with it since Warlords. The new Oni weapons he can acquire bring new elemental attacks to the battle. The twin blades called Tenso are light-based, while Kuga is a wind-themed nodachi. Bringing up the rear is the powerful, earth-based battleaxe Chigo. For long range, you get various elemental arrows and for maximized melee damage there's the “Ten-point Slash,” a unique 10-strike combo that requires knowing the rhythm of your current weapon's unique attack string.

Jacques, the new Oni Warrior to join the fight after being flung to the past, is granted the Oni Whip to go with his gauntlet. With Jacques, players are greeted to the classic slate of elemental weaponry for fire, lighting and ice damage. Enja is a fire-based snake sword, while Raisen brings the thunder in the form of a sansetsuyari (3-section-spear). The chilling frost comes in the form of Hyosai, a straight-up, spiked ball-and-chain! What Jacques also brings to the table, as a result, is a unique long-range game. He can use his flexible and extendable weaponry to tag flying enemies that require Samanosuke to load up on arrows before engaging. Also, Jacques can use his weapons to grapple enemies, objects and even special Oni Fireflies to reach high places.

Among the familiar mechanics of Soul Absorption and using the Protective Mirrors to save/upgrade, the Dark Realm portals that take you to bonus challenge areas and the trick puzzle boxes littered throughout the game, the newest change comes in the form of Ako, the Tengu spirit. On the surface, Ako seems like a nice little gofer for items that drop during battle, but what really makes her shine is the different colored vests (haori) that you can find and equip. Each comes with its own passive buffs that apply to your character, like being able to auto-recover health.

From a control standpoint, Onimusha 3 is one of those sequels where even though the change from the previous game isn't drastic in the quantitative sense the QUALITATIVE leap from Samurai's Destiny to Demon Siege is exceedingly and immediately noticeable.

Compare and Contrast

It's that time again, Neighborhood. Time to ask the question: Does this game have what it takes to withstand the tests of time and also competition? Well, in order to do that, we need to find its closest modern-day competitor and that search is easy enough. I even mentioned it earlier. That would be Koei-Tecmo's newest historical fiction offering, Ni-Oh. Classic tank controls notwithstanding, the combat in Onimusha 3 is much like Ni-Oh in that it is grueling yet fair. To get the most out of your chosen hero, whether it be Will Adams, Samanosuke or Jacques, you need to have a keen sense of your surroundings and make use of all your available skills.

Facing off against fantastical, supernatural creatures and fictionalized avatars of famous historical figures is a hallmark of both Ni-Oh and the Onimusha series. While the former focuses on a hero foreign to Japanese shores, Onimusha takes a more immediate viewpoint with Hidemitsu Samanosuke Akechi. The similarities between the two are readily apparent. The question remains, though... Can Onimusha compete?

To be honest, the game holds up really well, graphically. Perhaps a redubbing of the spoken dialog in the game and scaling up (if not remaking) the visuals could really give this game a chance to shine even brighter in the current gaming market. Only time will tell if Capcom will even truly acknowledge this franchise once more.

Long Story Short

As far as sequels go, Onimusha 3: Demon Siege is a textbook example of how to bring back the old and inject new life into its franchise. Fans of the classic Samanosuke from the first game are treated to having him as an accompanying hero, while those who want to see the samurai evolve will have access to him directly. The inclusion of Jacques was a brilliant move, even though during the initial development the game was set to include New York as opposed to Paris.

If this game were to make a resurgence today, without significant improvements to the gameplay, it could very well be written off as a Ni Oh clone and yet another attempt by Capcom to muscle in on territory previously occupied by Koei Tecmo ala Capcom's Sengoku Basara series as compared to Sengoku Musou.

Does Onimusha 3 pass the test of time? With flying colors.

Can it pass the test of competition? That would be more of a struggle, but it's certain that the game could do pretty well in today's market. I'd love to see Onimusha make a comeback, as the franchise has some amazing characters and the stories among the different protagonists are expertly woven together. Here's to hoping we haven't seen the last of Samanosuke Akechi.

On that note, Stay Good Neighborhood.

Review Rerun: The Backlog – Episode 2: Street Fighter EX

With the season fast approaching its end, there's no doubt that Summer 2017 was a pretty big summer for fighting games. Between the announcements of new content for current AAA titles and reveals of exciting new ones, the future of the genre seems pretty bright. However, there was one in the midst of it all that was on the verge of stealing the show. That was the tentatively-titled “Arika EX,” from the developers of the Street Fighter EX series.

With the folks at Arika seeing such a massive surge of support for their April Fool's revival of classic characters from their beloved spinoff series, it's high time that we take a look back at these diamonds in the rough. Perhaps a little background is necessary to help set the stage.

In the mid-90s, while working on their own unique fighting game, Arika was approached by Capcom with a desire to see their Street Fighter characters brought forth into 3D after the success of Street Fighter Alpha and Alpha 2. Since the groundwork had already been laid out by this group of former Capcom talent (directly credited for working on Street Fighter 2), it was a simple task to add Ryu and Ken along with other World Warriors to the fledgling roster. Thus, Street Fighter EX was born.

Let's take a look at what sets the EX series apart from the core Street Fighter franchise as well as what reminds fighting game fans the world over of Capcom's late-90s glory days as we dive right back into The Backlog. This time, we're not covering just one game, but three. So quarter up and brace yourselves for Street Fighter EX!

Sights and Sounds

From a visual standpoint, the EX series could definitely be seen as a product of its time. When Street Fighter EX was first hitting arcades and seeing distribution on the PS1, blocky character models resembling those found in the original Tekken were the order of the day. Of course, the technology available was largely untapped. Developers were just hitting their stride with the new format and hardware. Pre-rendered FMVs were the latest thing in cinematic presentation in gaming! On the other hand, while the EX games tended to be on the ground floor of their respective consoles visually, it was the sound design where the games truly excelled.

Every Shoryuken sounded like the heavy-hitting, juggernaut-class uppercut it was meant to be. Each character sounded sufficiently iconic, from Bison's laughter as he descends onto the battlefield in a globe of Psycho Power to Kairi's anguished cries (voiced by the late Kaneto Shiozawa) after unleashing the kind of beastly beating that would give Akuma a reason to smirk with pride. More importantly than the sound effects and voiceovers, though... DAT MUSIC THO! Oh my goodness, that music!

From the EX Opening to tracks like Strange Sunset, Light Guardian, Rising Dragoon and everything in between the Street Fighter EX series blazed an impressive trail with its soundtrack. In fact, the soundtrack for the Street Fighter EX series has become so iconic outside of the core franchise and made such an indelible impression that one of the most prolific fighting game content creators on YouTube regularly uses music from these games in his videos. I'm sure you know who I'm referring to.

While admittedly dated, it's easy to look past the blocky, low-polygon-count models and the “2D-painting-on-infinite-flat-platform” arenas to see that while underrated, EX is no slouch in the audiovisual department. The sights aren't always so grand, but the sounds more than make up for it.

Going Hands-On

Listen, folks. I'm not going to beat around the bush here. Street Fighter EX, as could be expected, plays exactly like you'd imagine a Street Fighter game to play. Six-button attack layout, punches and kicks of escalating degrees. 8-directional movement on a 2D plane. Up for jump, down for crouch, hold back to block. This is a series of games for folks that have already been playing Capcom fighting games like SF, Darkstalkers and the Marvel franchise games like Children of the Atom and XMen vs. Street Fighter. While there's no tutorial for newcomers to the franchise or even to the fighting game genre, the controls are simple enough on their face that it's easy to teach.

What sets EX apart, however, is the unique mechanics that are introduced to the games. Not only can you cancel from normal attacks to specials and from specials to supers (aka Super Cancelling), EX is the first to introduce another kind of Super Cancel. The EX games allow you to link together super moves one after another as long as you have meter and as long as you're not repeating supers back-to-back. For example, one of Ryu's more damaging combos includes cancelling from his Shinkuu Tatsumaki to the Shinkuu Hadouken and back to the STSK for the finish.

In EX2 and its expansion, EX2 Plus, comes the implementation of the Custom Combo system from Alpha 2 (here, dubbed Excel Combo). Also, every character's movelist is expanded with the addition of powerful 3-meter-cost Meteor Combos. These vary from the tried and true Shin Shoryuken to the impressively long and equally risky G.O.D. All of them as iconic as the characters these moves are tied to. EX2 also sees the return of franchise favorites Blanka, Vega/Balrog and Sagat, as well as improvements to the cast overall.

With Street Fighter EX3, an early title for the PS2 and one of the few that were still on CD (blue-back) media, the systems of cancelling and Meteor Supers are expanded further with the introduction of Momentary Attacks along with the Meteor Tag Combo and Critical Parade attack. Momentary Attacks, simply enough, allow you to chain together special moves with the press of a button on impact. With EX3s focus on tag-team fighting, that's where you want to make use of Meteor Tag Combos and the Critical Parade. The Meteor Tag combos are Level 3 supers that require a specific pair of combatants (Ken/Ryu, Guile/ChunLi, Blanka/Dhalsim). Meanwhile, the Critical Parade is where both fighters on a team are on screen with a limited-time allotment of Unlimited Super meter to wreak havoc on the opponent.

The EX series also introduces Trial Mode: a series of missions for each character, involving performing their signature moves, optimized combos and character-specific strategies of increasing difficulty. Trial Mode solutions are like a master class in introducing fighting game mechanics to the player like “buffering” and “negative edge” without directly spelling them out. However, should you manage to find the strategy guide for EX+A or look online for how to perform the more advanced solutions typically found as a character's Mission 15 or 16, you'll find wonderful info and tips that carry forward into fighting games of today.

The Street Fighter EX series introduces dynamic revisions to classic gameplay while bringing that same approach to its visuals and sound design. The “Fathers of Street Fighter 2” really nailed it with this series and it is great to see that they're making a return with the new “Arika EX.” Beloved characters and solid gameplay, repackaged using the updated high visual fidelity of Street Fighter 5. It's as though the one issue that could be taken with the game is being remedied as the IP is being brought forward to the modern-day.

Compare and Contrast

Once more, it's time to ask the question. How does Street Fighter EX and its sequels stack up to current games in the same genre and even within the same franchise? Well, we should start with the obvious and get that out of the way. By today's standards, the EX games look dated as all get out. Although the models and backdrops are very much artefacts of outdated tech, from a standpoint of sound design and visual design, one could argue that with a fresh “coat of paint” the EX games could very well compete with the likes of Street Fighter 5.

The genre is making quite the resurgence, so a game like Street Fighter EX will see some stiff competition. However, if the positive response to characters like Kairi, Hokuto/Shirase, Darun and Skullomania at this year's Evolution tournament is any indication, then Arika EX will do a far better job of answering the question of The Backlog than I could. I'm looking forward to seeing it when it does. The beta can't get here fast enough.

Long Story Short

Arika and Capcom's Street Fighter EX series is a fine example of bringing time-tested designs and gameplay into a new age of gaming and game development. We wouldn't see the cast of Street Fighter in 3D again until the release of Street Fighter 4 in 2009. The receptions of the later versions of SF4 and that of SF5 on release served to redirect the attention of a rather sizable contingent of the FGC back to games like EX. Games where content is unlocked based on the work you put into playing the game, where the characters are unique and memorable.

Characters like Rufus and Laura are a flash in the pan, but Skullomania, Darun and Vulcano Rosso are seen as so much a part of the Street Fighter lexicon that they match up to Ryu and Ken. So, when on April 1 of this year, the devs at Arika streamed their game on Twitch, there was a groundswell. Soon, we'll see that tidal wave of support realized as Arika returns to the arena with Garuda, D.Dark and the rest of the crew along for a brand new battle.

Does the Street Fighter EX series stand the test of time? Yes. It's like dusting off and polishing a long-unused katana only to find that the edge hasn't dulled. Street Fighter EX is worth a revisit for the music alone. EX2 for the refined gameplay (no wonder it's so rare). EX3 is a great way to experience the 2-on-2 tag system that's going to be present in Marvel vs Capcom Infinite without having to struggle through the demo to use it to the fullest.

With that said, it's high time I sign off. Happy gaming and as always:

Stay Good, Neighborhood.

Review Rerun: The Backlog – Episode 1: Castlevania – Symphony of the Night

What's good, Neighborhood? I'm pretty sure my opinion on this game by itself is evident from my reactions as I've played through it for the first time in years. However, it's not simply my opinion on this game that'll be the focus here. So, for those of you that have joined me for the week-long LP and those that are just coming in for the review I would like to formally welcome you to The Backlog. To celebrate the release of the anime on Netflix, our inaugural review will focus on one of the franchise stalwarts.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

Symphony of the Night is widely regarded as one of the purest forms of gaming excellence. From its soundtrack to the dynamic sprite-work and animation, the subtle use of 3D rendering for the sprawling and lush environments, very few times (before or since) has Castle Dracula and it's adjacent environment been realized so fully and to such universal acclaim. Symphony of the Night is a game with so much impact that it has defined a specific genre and style of video game that has lasted for 2 decades.

The question remains: In this new era of gaming and game development, even within the sub-genre that SotN has helped usher into the industry, does this game stack up to what modern technology and techniques have been able to produce? While that answer may be obvious to you, Neighborhood, it's best that we explore the “how” and the “why.” You picking up what I'm putting down? Yeah? Good. Let's get started.

Sights and Sounds

When you first boot up the game, the Konami logo card that greets you after the nostalgic boot screen for the PS1/PSX is bombastic and creative in a way that is emblematic of the 90s. Afterward you go to the title card and are prompted to jump right into the game. The next menu is definite foreshadowing for the game itself, showcasing a haunting vocal melody as you go about the business of loading your game. If it's your first time starting a new game file, things take a decidedly interesting turn as the peal of a guitar riff signals the immediate start of the action.

The prologue section of this game was designed to not only serve as a little backstory for the events of the narrative proper, but also as a nod to fans of classic Castlevania as you get to replay Richter Belmont's final battle against the big daddy vampire himself, Dracula. It's a great blend of old and new (for the time) and the quality of CD audio definitely lent an extra clarity to sounds of the coming clash. It's in this prologue that we get some of the most iconic lines in gaming, such as the age old question-and-answer.

“What is a man? A miserable pile of secrets!”

After Richter's victory and the appropriately melodramatic text scroll plays detailing the story in between games, you're returned to the action as you see a decidedly more detailed character racing through the forest at top speed. As Alucard, you battle through the initially-darkened halls of the castle, but before long the lights come on and not only are you greeted with the opulent castle interior, your ears are also introduced to the hybrid rock-opera soundtrack.

While the game takes place only within the castle itself, the different areas of this place are unique and replete with their own individual visual theme, musical theme and a roster of enemies as menacing as they are detailed. From the castle library with its floating phantasms and skeleton duelists to the underground catacombs complete with frogs, fish monsters and whatever that rose-woman is... Every area looks and sounds like a whole world unto itself.

Boots on the Ground

To those that are old ranch hands when it comes to action-platforming titles, playing SotN is like riding a bike. Once you learn it, you never truly forget. The controls are simple on the surface. The D-pad controls movement, the face buttons are for your basic actions like attacking, jumping and a special action; Square, X and Triangle, respectively. Up plus your attack button uses your staple Castlevania sub-items. However, when you switch from Richter to Alucard, things get a bit more intricate.

As Alucard, your moveset opens up considerably as you can equip both hands with various weapons, shields and items to help you through the game. Your left and right hands correspond to the Square and Circle buttons and keeping track of which hand is which will definitely come in handy later in the game. The Triangle button action for Alucard is a backward dash that is great for evasion and re-positioning. Outside of your basic actions, you will eventually obtain transformation abilities that are mapped to the shoulder buttons (R1 for the Bat, R2 for the Wolf and L1 for Mist).

As an interesting nod to fighting game players, Alucard also comes with his own unique spells that are activated by inputting different D-pad combinations ending with either Square or Circle. In short, there are a lot of options for how you want to control Alucard.

The other parts of this game's “Holy Gameplay Trinity” are the platforming and the exploration. The platforming, by and large, is tight and precise. Moving from one area to the next using your jumps, dashes and transformations is intuitive and rewarding. However, there are some holdovers from classic Castlevania games that rear their heads. In particular, getting hit-stun locked into a ricochet loop that will most definitely kill you if you happen to get really unlucky. There's also the annoyance of floating enemies being at just the right angle to stymie any forward progress you may want to make when dealing with a particular platforming segment... Medusa Heads in the Castle Tower, I'M LOOKING AT YOU!

The exploration in this game and the emphasis on uncovering new areas via backtracking with newly acquired skills or items is one of the shining areas of this game. It's also part of why the “Metroidvania” sub-genre was even coined in the first place. There's also the Castlevania classic: breaking walls to find hidden passages that are off the beaten path in addition to hidden items. Wall turkey, anyone? What's more, is that in a clever reuse of assets, the game was basically DOUBLED in size with the inclusion of the Inverted Castle. The entire map is flipped on its head along with the player's expectations of this already phenomenal game. Along with the topsy-turvy map is a new cadre of bad guys to cut down in each area and bosses to conquer before battling a revitalized Dracula for the true finale.

Taking all this into account, you can build a pretty convincing case for why SotN is considered a timeless classic in gaming.

Compare and Contrast

Now comes the point where we ask the main question of The Backlog itself. Does this game stand the test of time? How does it stack up to its modern-day contemporaries? To answer that question, we can compare and contrast SotN to more recent titles like Shadow Complex, the new Strider and even such titles as Darksiders and the God of War series. Of course, we can also use more closely related titles like the other half of the “Metroidvania” duo: the Metroid franchise. It's safe to say that SotN and, in particular, Super Metroid/Metroid 3 have been influential in game design for quite a while.

The influence on exploration mechanics is readily apparent in Darksiders and God of War. The sprawling set pieces that require tight controls and a deft hand to fully explore are, indeed, holdovers from the age of SotN. The stylized lore surrounding classic supernatural creatures like vampires, succubi, demons and demigods permeates gothic fantasy storytelling to this day. Even though the gaming landscape has shifted from two dimensions to three and characters are now realized through high-polygon-count models instead of hand-drawn animated sprites a lot of what makes the adventures of Kratos, War and many others so great can be decisively traced back to Samus Aran and especially Alucard.

Long Story Short

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a game that is the technical and mechanical embodiment of rock-opera. The gameplay is simple on it's face, but meaty enough that complete mastery changes the game entirely. The subject matter hits hard as this tale of legacy and revenge pits father against son. The moments of respite and downtime are plentiful, but brief enough that they don't grow stale and always keep the action fresh. Between the sprites, the music and the controls, there's a fusion of past and present. A “symphony,” if you will, of old-school game design with modern tech and technique.

The phrase “Often imitated, never duplicated” certainly applies here. To complete the purpose of The Backlog and answer the question of whether Castlevania: Symphony of the Night can withstand the tests of time and competition, the answer is most assuredly yes.

If you're a gamer looking for a nice nostalgia trip, a fan of Lords of Shadow or even an aspiring game developer looking for reference material, give this game a shot. From the moment you climb those steps as Richter to the last note of “I am the Wind,” Symphony of the Night is time well spent and worth revisiting.