Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2013/07/24/game_theory_pikmin_3_the_raven_dota_2/
Pikmin to the rescue: Can Nintendo revamp revive Wii U fortunes?
Plus Valve’s incredibly addictive Dota 2, and work out whodunnit in The Raven
Posted in Personal Tech, 24th July 2013 10:38 GMT
Game Theory With the heatwave apparently set to give way to stormy weather, it might be about time to batten down the hatches and get comfy with a new game. This week we’re off for a walk in the forest with Pikmin 3, tracking down a master thief in The Raven and getting overwhelmed by choice in Valve’s Dota 2.
Pikmin 3
The Wii U’s version of Shigeru Miyamoto's collect-’em-up – for want of a better description – is exactly what it ought to be: a reimagining of a Nintendo classic, brought into the modern day with spruced-up visuals and with a couple of surprises thrown in along the way.
This time round, series stalwarts Captain Olimar and his idiot brother Louie take a back seat. They’re replaced by a brand new trio of intrepid astronauts: the habitually interrupted Captain Charlie and his crew, consisting of biologist Brittany and science officer Alph.
They’re on a mission to gather food for their starving planet Koppai, and so off they trek to freshly discovered planet PN-404 in a bid to harvest fruit. No prizes for guessing that their craft malfunctions, crashes and leaves them shipwrecked on hostile alien soil, as Pikmin’s curse strikes again.
Of course it’s not long before our intrepid adventurers come across the titular friendly herbivores, and therein resumes the series’ stock gameplay. Players are tasked once again with herding the ant-like pikmin with a whistle, all with a view to bashing monsters and collecting items.
Series veterans - and Nintendo fans in general - won’t be surprised to hear that the Big N has opted for a policy of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. Consequently, the controls remain largely the same as before, though I'd suggest use of a Wii-mote over the GamePad. Wii U-specific nuances are few: a touch-sensitive map and the ability to switch over to GamePad-only gameplay.
As before there’s a set progression to when pikmin types are unveiled. Look out for the particularly cute rock types, as well as the effeminate flying variety. And, in a nod to the original Pikmin, the ticking over of days is much more important than in Pikmin 2. Each new dawn requires the consumption of a fruit shake upon which Captain Charlie and co depend for survival.
Therefore, though adding parts to your ship is still necessary to discover new areas, fruit gathering takes equal precedence. A handy addition, then, that our brave outer-spacers can be separated and even set unique destinations using the GamePad’s map, so facilitating time-saving multi-tasking.
Crossing chasms and leaping lily pad-strewn rivers will require bringing your crack squad back together, however - as, in general, will close encounters with Pikmin 3’s larger specimens. These enjoyably epic fights are rendered wholly more accomplishable through the tactical use of timed reinforcements.
On the whole we’re in familiar territory, then, and essentially that’s exactly what Pikmin 3 is: a refinement of the previous titles rather than something new. Not that everything has been honed to perfection.
When using the GamePad, for example, the aiming reticule that pinpoints where propelled pikmin will land is mapped to the same stick that physically moves your character. This feels overly cumbersome. You can hold down the right shoulder button to move the reticule alone, but it’s nevertheless irritating - particularly in volatile situations.
Selecting just the right kind of pikmin can be needlessly complicated too. Try making only your blue types charge towards a water-based foe when you have multiple types selected, for example. Finally, there’s still a question mark over the little critters’ navigation skills, a hangover carried over from previous entries.
That said, none of the above faults are game-breaking and the sense of relaxation gained by watching your army of helpers going about their tasks is ever soothing. Pikmin 3 retains that peace and tranquillity which, for me, has always made the series that little bit special.
Pikmin 3 might not quite be the killer app that the Wii U needs to shift a big number of units but it exudes enough class to buy Nintendo some time. It’s instantly the system’s best game and points the way forward for how Zelda, Metroid, Smash Bros. and the like should be treated.
The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief
This first of three planned chapters flirts with all the stock locales of the Agatha Christie whodunnit, shifted in time to the early 1960s.
There’s a trip on the Orient Express, a claustrophobic cruise aboard an ocean liner - complete with ubiquitous murder victim and no shortage of shady characters - and even the dangled carrot of your final destination: a romanticised Egypt.
Central to the narrative is wannabe detective Constable Zellner. He’s chasing a would-be jewel thief who might just be the notorious Raven - last seen in a morgue. Zellner is perhaps not the most obvious choice of lead, being both the wrong side of 50 and overweight, but, as with Hercule Poirot, upon whom he’s surely based, he is sound of logic and sharp of mind.
Given the subject matter, developer King Art has sensibly opted for an old-fashioned point-and-click interface. Expect to be trying items in unlikely situations, before engaging in long-winded conversations with the ensemble cast – though here we’re at least spared repeated exchanges with characters in order to mine gossip.
In truth, however, the game is more interactive yarn than Day of the Tentacle-style grizzled adventure. My only real stumbles in unwinding its narrative were down to my glancing past a crucial interactive item rather than being stumped by a truly head-scratching puzzle.
In an attempt to get past the troublesome nature of discovering usable items - no one really just wants to click frequently and randomly across the screen in the hope of revealing something - hitting the space bar will highlight all the interactive items within your vicinity. It’s optional, and it reduces your score, but it feels rather like cheating. It’s not, then, the best solution to this technical limitation of point-and-click adventures.
Still, there’s something comforting about conducting Constable Zellner about his business, not least because of the period setting, his kineticism – he’s seemingly in perpetual motion, whether on boat or train – and his chipper musical accompaniment, a series of easy orchestral numbers.
If you’re the sort of person that looks forward to a Sunday evening in with Miss Marple on the telly and a glass of red in hand, then consider yourself well served. If you’re not, well, maybe it’s time to put down Battlefield 3 and get involved.
Dota 2
Without doubt, one of the more notable releases of recent weeks was that of Dota 2 as Valve's two-year beta test finally gave way to a finalised (and free) release.
Those unfamiliar with the whys and wherefores of its origins should check its fascinating Wiki page. Suffice it to say that Dota originated as a Warcraft III mod, is an addictive and complex mixture of RPG and RTS, and quickly grew into something of a phenomenon. Dota 2 is Valve’s attempt at modernising and honing the concept.
If you know of the game already then you hardly need me, a relative newcomer, to tell you about it. I’m writing this more for those among us who have no inkling of its existence, and too them I say: log in to Steam and grab it.
What you’ll receive is a game that hands you the deceptively simple task of destroying your opponent’s base – or “Ancient”, in the game’s lingo – while protecting your own. Never is it so straightforward, of course, as you and your teammates struggle against a team of like-minded but opposed souls in what is (hopefully) something of a titanic tussle.
Adding to the aforementioned complexity and depth are two key facts. First, you can pick from over 100 unique heroes – a mixture of magical, ranged and melee fighters, each with signature moves. And, second, you can buy all kinds of enhancing items in any given game, which can then be further combined to unleash further devastating effects.
What I would say to any newcomers is that the learning curve is steep - if not downright vertical - and won’t be for everybody. And the game, much like any other online endeavour, is wholly dependent on its players, some of who seem to exist solely to hinder.
Still, if you have a PC and even a passing interest in the RPG or RTS genres then you really should try it for yourself. Just don't blame me when it’s 5am the day after you started playing and you still can’t help but have one more go. ®