Frenzy

post from 8-Bit City on 04 November 2009 11:32:00 PM. © 8-Bit City

Frenzy is Berzerk 2. Typically, most older gamers seem to appreciate Berzerk (1980) much more than Frenzy(1982); Berzerk receives considerably more internet chatter. From a historical perspective this makes sense because Berzerk sold over 50,000 unit and Frenzy. Both games were created by Alan McNeil, supposedly based on a dream.

Berzerk represents both life, and, more specifically, the archetypical nightmare. You start, but no matter what you die. The nightmare motif is apparent through the minimalistic graphics, only the basic symbols required to transmit information are used. The "running man" resembles modern signs for "man," and the robots, similarly, use very few pixels to represent the concept. This simple transmission of information allows the player's imagination to run wild. However, death dominates the Great Electric Maze, so death dominates the player's imagination. Suddenly, the horrible smile on Evil Otto's face seems more sinister and the robots prove that despite all of your human intellegence you are outgun, horribly outmatched, with absolutely no hope of victory, only the possibility of a glorious death.

Frenzy expands upon this formula by adding skeletons, ghosts, and more horrors. Every 4 screens you'll encounter a "boss room" which has a special tile. The Giant Evil Otto punishes attacks on his kind, the telsa coils power the robots and when shot all robots will stop moving. The mainframe computer, when destroyed, causes the robots to go insane, or break into a "frenzy." Finally a haunted robot factory that produces ghosts.

The new enemies are a nice variation on the old robot AI. Skeletons are difficult to hit from above or below, and ghosts are harder to hit horizontally (but only when attacking from above the ghost, if you attack horizontally at the feet of the ghost it is still very easy). But best of all are the walls. The old electric walls are gone, replaced by destructible walls and mirror walls. Mirrors reflect bullets (slightly changing the angle in a predictable way) and destructible walls allow the player to blast an impromptu exit from the current board. The board is also subtly different from Berzerk's. Berzerk uses a 3x5 "grid" and Frenzy uses a 4x6. With the increase in "rooms," Frenzy increases the amount of robots per board dramatically (I've seen 24 robots on a screen!) No walls are electric in Frenzy, making pixel-perfect shots easier in certain situations.

Mirrors are your friend, and getting robots to kill each other is the key to success. Here are some other tips:

1. Find a "safe spot" as soon as possible.
2. Try to enter into the bottom-right "room."
3. Set the dipswitches to give you an extra life every 1000 points.

But in all honestly, the game is designed to award an extra life at every 3000 points, so, unlike Berzerk, Frenzy can theoretically be played for 64,000 screens (at which point the game would crash). Therefore, Frenzy is a more uplifting look at robot destruction, with a cheerful Halloween theme and amazing, colorful artwork.

Frenzy is, by far, the better game. Proponents of Berzerk will praise it's minimalistic approach and 1980 charm, and I too applaud Berzerk; however, Frenzy provides a more complex world without exceeding the general concept of Berzerk. Frenzy offers the player more flexibility when designing a creative, elegant solution to a difficult board. Skeletons, ghosts, mirrors, and boss rooms bring the nightmare into sharper focus. The hieroglyphics of Frenzy are more vivid and terrifying than its cuneiform ancestor. These games, along with Robotron:2084, define the robot-shooting genre.

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http://8bitcity.blogspot.com/2009/11/frenzy.html

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iPhone Game Review: Gourmania

post from Gaming Nexus on 04 November 2009 11:09:00 PM. © Gaming Nexus

by: Tina Amini
NEWS - I have a new found respect for people in the service industry. My iPhone review of the week is a part simulation, part seek and find game based in the restaurant business. You start off as a rookie in Gourmania, flipping burgers at a fast food restaurant, and progress to creating meals in sushi restaurants and the like. By the time you hit a professional stance, you’re ready for a competition amongst the top chefs as you race against time to prepare various meals coming from all your previously gained experiences.

This is an iPhone game, so it is all about tapping the appropriate part of your screen. You can also zoom into whichever establishments you’re working in at that particular moment to get a better look at what ingredients you need to find to complete your order. Tapping didn’t always exactly work like a charm. I found that even if you’re tapping directly on top of the hamburger buns, the game refuses to zap it into your order. I would resort to multiple taps due to my impatience with the game for not picking up on my queue, but would be hit with a deduction in the money I’ve earned for tapping too many times. This counts as a penalty in the game, for obvious reasons. Zooming also felt glitchy and uncomfortable. Fortunately, you could double tap an area to zoom into the specified region, which was definitely a time saver in a race against time game. You eventually get used to the way the game moves, so the random miscommunication between you and your iPhone wont always be a problem. My only qualm is that given the nature of the iPhone, I want a game that moves with me and not vice versa.

Gourmania is pretty fun once you get into it. Definitely a great aspect to the game that really saved it from the reigns of monotony was the addition of bonus points. You gain bonus points by completing your tasks in a set manner. For instance, multi-tasking by preparing (cooking, chopping, baking, etc.) your ingredients for your three separate orders at the same time is one way. Gathering ingredients in their set order for their respective dishes will also give you some extra monies. Keep an eye out for the hourglasses hidden around the room to gain time bonuses. You also get a chance to earn more money by a sort of mini-game that you’ll encounter about twice in each establishment. You have to match your ingredient with a series of slots that scroll across your screen. Making combo matches will earn you extra cash.

Now, I’m not exactly a master chef. If you’re like me and will not be able to recognize some of the ingredients they throw your way (apparently a garnet is a pomegranate?) there’s always the option of hitting the “hint” button. This was another uncomfortable control of the game. You have to click on the incredibly tiny name of the ingredient before tapping the “hint” button, and an obscure circle of sparkling specks allegedly indicates the general location of the ingredient in question. I often used this button as more of a “replenish my stock” button than a “help” button, because you’ll notice that you’ll end up using your ingredients quickly. The items will eventually replenish on their own, but there are generally only a few locations where they will be found, so you will have to wait or hit the “hint” button if you’ve used them all.

The controls were by no means terrible. They did attempt at some intuitive controls, like the double tap for zoom, but I have seen better (as well as worse) controls for an iPhone game. What is good about this game, however, is that it felt perfect for some casual gaming when you have just a few minutes to kill. The levels are short, so commitment isn’t necessary. You can still progress through the game gracefully with a series of time-constrained visits. I wouldn’t particularly say that I can’t wait to hop on the bus to my campus to play this game, but it definitely passes the time well and when I pause the game I don’t feel like I’ve wasted a level or my time. When the time calls for some mindless iPhone alone time, I don’t want to feel like I’ve compromised my time or the effort I’ve put into the game. Gourmania certainly handles the idea of a casual round of gaming on your mobile device with their series of about 60 levels within each of the 8 establishments that you progress through. Ultimately, while Gourmania isn’t exactly an attempt at an innovative game for what is becoming a thriving gaming device, it’s still perfectly enjoyable for all intents and purposes of casual gaming time.

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http://www.gamingnexus.com/FullNews/iPhone-Game-Review-Gourmania/Item14904.aspx

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Tekken 6 online patch incoming (once it passes
cert)

post from Destructoid on 04 November 2009 11:00:00 PM. © Destructoid

Tekken 6 online patch incoming (once it passes cert) screenshot

Oh, Tekken 6. Like all other online-compatible fighting games, there's always going to be the obligatory outrage against less-than-stellar netcode.

Thankfully, Namco Bandai is already on the case. In a general statement sent out to just about every Web site ever, it was noted that a patch addressing the online woes will be ready "as soon as it has passed rigorous testing procedures." The word must get out, guys!

Assuming the update doesn't remain in certification hell, you can look forward to seeing improved online play in Tekken 6 fairly soon. Also, this is different from the "online co-op Scenario Campaign mode update," which is still planned for release later on this year.

In the meantime, you can continue beating up baby bears, or "being up" them, for that matter.

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Helium-3

From the Discovery Channel comes a casually-oriented strategy game of tactics, battle, mining and exploration. The world's energy reserves have run out, but a new element called helium

Read The Full Article:
http://jayisgames.com/archives/2009/11/helium-3.php

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