Articles tagged cute

Eyepet by Graeme Strachan | 28-10-09

PS3

Review

It was once the case that the PS3 was a big boy's toy. The domain of grown men with too much money to spare. Now with the release of LittleBigPlanet last christmas the console has taken on a more family-friendly air. This time it's Eyepet, a virtual pet simulator that lets you use the Playstation Eye camera to watch yourself interact with it in real time.

Review

Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure by Stacy Kidd | 07-04-09

Crossing musical melodies with a fairytale Japanese role-playing game may not seem as well-matched as strawberries and cream but that's exactly what developer Nippon Ichi have set out to achieve with Rhapsody, a 'musical adventure' with a distinct style all of its own.

PS3

Review

LittleBigPlanet by Graeme Strachan | 29-10-08

If there's one criticism that can be levelled at the Playstation 3, it's that practically every major title released has aimed to sate the desires of the hardcore gamers who have the cash to fork out for the heavyweight system. The lack of popular cross-demographic titles have kept it away from the kind of success that has seen the Wii cornering markets and making itself a 'must-have' purchase. Well, that's all set to change.

Zack and Wiki: The Quest for Barbaros' Treasure on Wii

Wii

Review

Zack and Wiki: The Quest for Barbaros' Treasure by emperornorthu | 17-04-08

If modern media hype is to be believed, the games industry these days is nothing more than a gabble of bloodthirsty loons set on perverting the minds of pre-teens by crafting games based around evisceration, running over old ladies, and drowning kittens. Zack and Wiki is different though and was never going to be censored, indeed it actually falls into the brackets of both cutesy and family friendly. Fear not however, for this is no bad thing, and so long as bright colours and adorable characters don't send you into a diabetic coma, then there's certainly a great deal of wealth to be enjoyed in this unique title. Zack and Wiki is basically a puzzle game masquerading as an adventure which tasks you with a number of well-thought out puzzles resulting in that great blend of initial confusion before later simplicity. These are usually confined within small areas packed with interactive items and switches – all of which are essential to solving the present puzzle. These items all use the Wii remote in as many different ways as possible which helps to stop the game stagnating, although a few will still have you aggressively flailing your arms around as the console fails to pick up your subtle movements. These pretty much make up the entirety of the game, yet a nice learning curve and rewarding stages keep you going. The characters themselves are endearing in a way similar to Banjo-Kazooie, cute, both occasionally funny and irritating, and not quite as memorable as they want to be. The dialogue can be quite humorous and the minimalist story is still guaranteed to gain the odd chuckle, especially with regards to the game's more surreal elements. In many ways it also reminds me of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, especially due to its stylish visuals and sharp animations. Yet after playing this for a while, you might end up yearning for a game with more variety, such as the green-capped hero’s cell-shaded Gamecube outing. Despite modern controls, the game still feels restrained in its outlook. Unless it's really your favourite genre of game, then there are only so many puzzles you can play through before your begin to tire of the game's structure and Wiki's disturbing high-pitched squeals. Yet the game still deserves to be commended. If you need to unwind with something easy on the eye and with minimal effort then Zack and Wiki will fit the bill. Although the feeling of being outthought by some of the trickier puzzles in what appears to be a kid's game could leave you questioning the value of his many years of education (it is very good at what it does). Moreover there's not an axe-wielding maniac or drive-by in sight. 6/10

Review

Animal Crossing -- Wild World by Stacy Kidd | 11-04-08

Animal Crossing is as cute as a pink cupcake topped with rainbow sprinkles and an edible Hello Kitty caricature, though thankfully lasts infinitely longer. The introduction is bright and interactive, in the form of a taxi ride given by a character named Kapp’n. You will be offered simple multiple choice queries which will shape, amongst other things, your character’s gender and appearance. Most of the controls are simple to grasp, though some occasional clumsiness may cause frustrated screen-stabbing. Luckily the Wild World inhabitants are fantastically amusing, reducing even the most testosterone fuelled of males to a soppy gloop. Finding your way around your named town upon arrival really is a piece of (cup)cake. The DS stylus provides effortless character navigation for the lazy gamer, though the D-pad can indeed be used as an alternative. There are also a good number of characters to meet and greet, each with their own distinct personalities. Your main tasks within the game involve collecting fruit, catching bugs, fishing and running the odd errand for one of your new-found friends. Tom Nook, an entrepreneurial Raccoon, will be all too happy to buy your odds and ends in exchange for Bells (the chosen currency of Wild World). A great proportion of your time will be spent relaying back and forth to his shop, scrimping and saving to pay off your house mortgage loaned kindly by – yes, you guessed it – Mr. Nook. Thankfully there is no immediate push to complete errands. In fact you are highly encouraged to spend time adventuring rather than rush. Most of the challenges you do face are pretty straightforward, easily achievable but fun nonetheless. The best and perhaps most ingenious feature of Wild World is the sheer freedom gained by the relaxed non-linear game play. The environment is charming to explore and filled with nature. The stars come out at night, the weather is prone to mood-swings (much like the sodding Scottish forecast) and your surroundings will echo reality, requiring regular maintenance such as weed-pulling and tree-felling. Ever-changing surroundings guarantee fresh excitement; content changes daily providing healthy dynamic content that never gets boring. Of course, if you are after some hardcore handheld action then Animal Crossing may not be your cup of tea. Although the title benefits from such extensive dialogue, events and real-time visual patterns, there is understandably not much in the way of frantic heart-stopping action. Those looking for something more will undoubtedly turn to the WiFi capabilities, only to be met with limitation; accessing a friend’s town is easy enough should you register their unique identity number, however this is as far as multiplayer capabilities will allow. On the other hand, parents of younger gamers will no doubt treasure the safety net of privacy created by such a feature. It goes without saying; you can become rather attached to this delightful little title. Both sexes will find appeal in escaping to a world where the harsh realities of life cease to exist…even if it is for a mere thirty minutes a day. 8/10