Review: Electronic Super Joy (PC, 2013)

July 9, 2014 by Mike

Indie games have become one of the best and only ways for players to experience classic genres with modern design sensibilities. Over the past decade, they have gone from barely discoverable titles on the fringes to being featured right alongside the big triple-A blockbusters at industry shows and events. At E3 this past June, it was not uncommon to hear someone talking about Batman: Arkham Knight or The Legend of Zelda and in the same breath express equal excitement over No Man’s Sky and Ori and the Blind Forest.

Medium-sized publishers — so prolific in the ’90s and ’00s — have all but vanished from the gaming landscape, and in their wake are a huge number of independent game studios. While some have struck deals with major publishers and manufacturers, or been acquired outright, the vast majority of them still self-publish either via their own websites or a digital content delivery service like Steam, Google Play, and the PlayStation Store.

Electronic Super Joy, also available for Mac and Linux (and coming soon for iOS and Android) is the distillation of all the things that make indie gaming so much fun and unique.

From the moment you launch it, it’s immediately clear that Electronic Super Joy isn’t about being subtle. The title screen hits with a blast of pulsating hot pink and loud trance music. Oh, the music. Before I even talk about the game itself, I have to mention the soundtrack. If you don’t like the techno genre in general, you may want to turn the volume down.

For everyone else, Electronic Super Joy‘s music is absolutely one of its highlights. Composed by enV (pronounced “envy”), the soundtrack does a spectacular job establishing mood, creating tension, and most importantly, getting the player in the zone to conquer. Check it out HERE on Bandcamp.

You’re then met with a rather lengthy warning screen full of exclamation points. There’s something quite liberating and tongue-in-cheek about it, which sets the tone for what is to come. Don’t be too alarmed by it. While there are more than a few obscenities, erotic moaning every time you die, and yes, even battles with a pope, it’s nothing you would ever take seriously. This is a game, after all, about your journey to take revenge on the Groove Wizard for stealing your butt. Yeah, you read that right. And if you are offended, there’s always the PG Rating in the Options menu.

Anyway, its hilarious story aside, at its core, Electronic Super Joy is a 2D platformer in the tradition of difficult classics like Super Meat Boy and VVVVVV. Games like these thrive on their perfect controls, fantastic design, fast death recoveries, and a beautiful marriage of visuals and audio. They reward dedication and perseverance, precariously teetering on that edge of unfairness… but never losing their balance.

Thankfully, Electronic Super Joy gets all of those things right. Your character controls so well, with predictable jumping arcs and quick turns. Throughout your journey, you’ll acquire and use a wide range of different moves, including a downward smash, double-jumps, flying, wall jumping, and high jumps in reduced gravity environments. Speaking of those environments, slick surfaces, single-use bounce pads, lasers, projectiles, spikes, rotating platforms, heat-seeking rockets, and other dangers are all intent on preventing you from getting to the end of each level.

The main game is broken down into three worlds comprised of 15 stages apiece. One nice feature is that as you finish a level, you’re immediately taken to the next one. This gives the game a nice flow instead of constantly dropping you back to the level-select screen. This also makes the game feel extremely short as you can, in one sitting, get through an entire world in about an hour.

It’s not just a matter of getting to the end, though. Much like the Bandages in Super Meat Boy, Electronic Super Joy has 22 Stars that are cleverly peppered throughout each world. Getting each Star is one thing, but you then have to survive long enough to make it to the end or the next checkpoint, whichever comes first. Successfully getting all the Stars will unlock a fourth world that will put all of your skills — and possibly your sanity — to the ultimate test. For those who want even more, a Bonus Content Pack and the recently released Groove City standalone sequel are also available.

Graphically, Electronic Super Joy has a lot more going on than screenshots initially convey. Although the game is primarily done in 2D sprites, there are a lot of 3D elements that add to its aesthetic. Backgrounds have multi-layered, spinning polygonal objects that are often synchronized to the music, producing hypnotic, eye-searing visuals that bring to mind the work of ’90s Amiga demo groups like The Silents, Anarchy, and Spaceballs.

The background graphics are lovely, and they can also be a big part of the gameplay itself. One of Electronic Super Joy‘s earliest levels, “Black and White”, is a great example of the background and foreground becoming one. HERE‘s a video of me playing through it, even though I accidentally take the wrong path at the end.

Characters are small, but they are animated well, and all the NPCs you come across throughout the game have funny, helpful, and sometimes misleading things to say. They happily nod their heads to the beat as you jump from platform to platform, eventually leading you to each world’s fun and bizarre boss challenges.

I had a great time with Electronic Super Joy. It’s a game that doesn’t take itself seriously at all, but at the same time is a case study in expert platforming design and execution. If you love a good challenge, look no further.

Graphics & Presentation: B+
Simple, consistent 2D/3D graphics, with multi-layered backgrounds, vivid colors, and effective foreground separation. Nice, blocky animated menus. Lots of screen tearing with the internal frame limiter off, but input lag with it on makes the game unplayable. Use external V-sync instead.
Music & Sound Effects: A+
An amazing trance and techno soundtrack by enV that perfectly blends with the game’s visuals. Easily worth purchasing separately. Good sound effects and funny vocals that may get under your skin, but you can thankfully turn them off if you prefer.
Gameplay & Controls: A
Excellent controls do exactly what you want them to do. Great gameplay variety, and the Stars are challenging to obtain. Some of the later levels require a bit too much memorization with almost zero time to react, which can be frustrating even for seasoned genre veterans, but the game maintains fairness throughout.
Value: B+
A short game at about 5 hours, but it’s a decent value for only $7.99. If you go for all the Achievements, however, total playtime will be extended considerably.

Overall: A-

Review: Shovel Knight (PC)

July 8, 2014 by Mike

It only takes a few moments to see influences from NES classics like the Super Mario Bros. series, DuckTales, and the Mega Man series in Shovel Knight‘s DNA. You’ll also be hit with other waves of nostalgia, being reminded of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Konami’s Castlevania series, Sega’s Golden Axe, and other favorites of a bygone era here. Whether references are intentional or not, it’ll feel like the late-’80s again, and in all the best ways possible.

Now, retro-style games have become rather cliched in recent years. The style is very popular for indie and mobile titles, and while I understand the opinion that not utilizing the latest cutting-edge graphic technologies doesn’t move things forward, I personally love it. It’s fascinating to see what modern artists are capable of pulling off with big pixels and limited color palettes. It’s that whole mentality of doing more with less that can potentially yield results even more impressive than the latest blockbuster on the newest consoles. Yes, I love the way Muramasa Rebirth looks on the Vita, but I can equally appreciate the lovingly crafted spritework in Daisuke Amaya’s Cave Story. Don’t let the 8-bit style turn you off, though; Shovel Knight‘s graphics are superb — borderline 16-bit at times as the best 8-bit games were — and animation is detailed, smooth, and brimming with character.

The same can be said about music in games. While I absolutely loved the work of Gustavo Santaolalla in The Last of Us — one of my all-time favorite PS3 games — I equally enjoy what Jake Kaufman and Manami Matsumae have done here in Shovel Knight. Much like oldschool graphics, music that has to be created without the use of real instruments and limited sound channels often produce stunning compositions that transcend the technology itself. One of Shovel Knight‘s first tracks, “Strike the Earth! (Plains of Passage)”, is so inspired and sounds like it could have leaped from the very best of the 8-bit era. In fact, so much of Shovel Knight is of the highest quality that if it had actually come out during the NES era, it would no doubt be regarded as one of the best games of all-time.

The graphics and music are indeed terrific, and Shovel Knight shines in the gameplay department as well. Its closest relatives would be Castlevania and DuckTales; just think of your shovel as Simon Belmont’s whip or Uncle Scrooge’s cane. Mechanically, it works quite similarly in terms of being a short-ranged melee weapon and a tool for bouncing on enemies and other environmental obstacles. However, chalk it up to the influence of modern gaming to have the greatest effect where it matters most: controls. Shovel Knight‘s controls are perfect, and I can’t think of a single death that occurred because the controls weren’t responsive enough or didn’t do what I wanted. Tight controls (or lack thereof) will make or break platform games, and to its credit, Shovel Knight absolutely hits the nail on the head in this regard.

At its heart, Shovel Knight is a tried and true action platformer with some RPG overtones in terms of armor, weapon, and subweapon upgrades, each having their own set of strengths and weaknesses. Levels are long, and full of branching pathways and hidden alcoves. Discovering them is a joy, and much of Shovel Knight‘s challenge is in finding them all. Writing is also a strong point, with excellent dialogue and a surprisingly poignant and personal story. I had goosebumps by the game’s final scenes, which is a testament to the developer giving every facet of Shovel Knight equal attention.

There are modern conveniences like auto-saving and numerous level checkpoints, but Yacht Club Games changes things up a bit to make its death and continue system have actual consequence. I think one of the game’s neatest feature is how you are given the option to destroy the various level checkpoints. By doing so, you’ll collect extra treasures, but as a result, you’ll no longer be able to continue from that point if you die. This creates scenarios where you have to make it through an entire level in one life or be sent back to the very beginning.

Keeping the checkpoints in place doesn’t give you a free pass, though. Dying separates you from a good chunk of your loot, and if you want it back, you’ll have to collect it from where you died, which is sometimes impossible depending on where exactly you bit the bullet. This is a nice change from most modern games, where death carries with it no ramifications.

The one area of the game that feels slightly undercooked are a few of the boss fights. They are all beautiful to look at and have interesting and learnable attack patterns, but many of them can be defeated rather easily on your first attempt. Being able to carry multiple items that fully refill your health and magic meters further diminishes the challenge if you choose to utilize them. In some cases, though, I appreciated these battles being a little easier after taking a serious beating through some of the level trials preceding them.

Between all of the great action are these wonderful, quiet moments full of reflective calm and other surprises. They’re a great inclusion that very much reminded me of Golden Axe‘s intermission campfire scenes where you can stock up on health and magic potions. However, these brilliantly build a strong bond between the game’s key characters in haunting and meaningful ways. I always looked forward to these after defeating one of the game’s bosses.

The game’s achievements, or “Feats” as they’re called here, are definitely worth mentioning. There are some truly challenging ones that will give trophy hunters a run for their money, extending the life of the game for those who want to extract the most out of it. A number of them run completely opposite to one another, so don’t expect to get them all in one shot. Speaking of the game’s length, it took me about 7 hours to finish it the first time (the in-game clock had me at around 6 hours and 40 minutes), and even though I took my time, I only found about 65% of the game’s hidden Music Sheets, which unlock music tracks inside an in-game sound test. There were also some other important items I missed along the way, so the game definitely will take more than one playthrough to see and do everything.

Not only that, but a New Game+ mode is also included, which ups the challenge for those seeking a more difficult playthrough, but lets you keep all your upgrades from your first time through.

And last but not least, I have to point out the game’s humor. I mentioned earlier that the writing in the game is excellent, and while that applies to Shovel Knight‘s serious dialogue, it equally enhances the more lighthearted exchanges as well. It’s full of puns and other high-energy, exclamation point-filled zingers that make all of the NPCs interesting to talk to.

Shovel Knight is a special game. It represents the pinnacle of 8-bit sensibilities with the refinements of modern game design, wrapped up in a beautiful package that will remind you of all the things that drew you to videogames in the first place. Also available for the Nintendo Wii U and 3DS, Shovel Knight is not to be missed and is an easy contender for Game of the Year.

Graphics & Presentation: A+
Beautifully drawn sprites, gorgeous backgrounds with multi-plane parallax scrolling, and some giant screen-filling enemies. 60fps with no screen tearing, even at its highest resolutions.
Music & Sound Effects: A+
A superb soundtrack by Jake Kaufman, with nods to many 8-bit classics. Contributions by original Mega Man composer Manami Matsumae are a welcome treat. Excellent sound effects bring the action to vivid life.
Gameplay & Controls: A
Perfect, fluid controls make Shovel Knight a delight to play, with tons of hidden areas to find. Fun platforming with all sorts of environmental hazards to contend with. Very unique continue system. Some bosses provide little challenge.
Value: A-
A pretty quick game at about 7 hours or so, but New Game+ and a slew of Feats and hidden items will keep you playing for a long time if you want everything the game has to offer.

Overall: A+

Happy Fourth of July!

July 3, 2014 by Mike

GHG will be back on Monday, but I just wanted to wish everyone a fun and safe holiday weekend. We’ll be checking out the fireworks show here during the Fort Dalles Fourth, the first in over 25 years!

I plan on getting caught up on a few games over the weekend as well, including Pokemon X (3DS), Nier (PS3), and Shovel Knight (PC).

I’m about 15 hours into Game Freak’s Pokemon X — this being one of the first games in the series I’ve ever put any time into — and I’m enjoying it.

There’s something irresistible about these cute and unique monsters, figuring out what skills to keep or replace, seeing what each monster evolves into, and understanding the various characteristics of all the Pokemon in this world. As a relative newbie, I’m still rather overwhelmed by the complexity and variety on display here. Just keeping tabs on what Pokemon I’ve caught and organizing them feels like a game in and of itself. The satisfaction of whittling down a Pokemon’s health and capturing it in a Poke Ball is also pretty great.

I’m particularly impressed with Pokemon X‘s soundtrack. I was expecting a standard and light set of tunes, but there have been many times where I’ve just sat there and listened to the catchy music found all over Kalos, like the “Gate Theme”, which is just so good.

Some things about the game annoy me, like how it can be a bit difficult to position your character to speak to NPCs, or the slow pace of battles even with the animations turned off. On the flipside, the game is very pretty, and small touches — like how you physically bend down to talk to children — show great attention to detail that give the game its unique charm.

Even though I’ve put a decent amount of time into Pokemon X, I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. This is the kind of game I could easily see myself sinking many, many hours into, like I did with one of my favorite Nintendo DS RPGs several years ago, Dragon Quest IX.

I just started Cavia’s Nier a few days ago, and only have a couple hours logged. It’s a game I’ve had in my backlog since 2012, and after being urged by a friend to play it for at least the past year, I decided to finally give it a shot.

From the beginning, I didn’t think I’d make it past the intro. The game suffers from sub-par visuals and a combat system that — at least initially — feels simplistic and repetitive. The first battle in Nier seems to take forever, and for a moment, I thought I was doing something wrong.

I wasn’t feeling much better a little later, as the game’s inhabitants were perfectly happy to send me on countless, mindless fetch quests. However, after I played through and finished the first dungeon — including the first boss — I started feeling differently.

There’s a lot going on in Nier, with many ideas borrowed from genres you wouldn’t think have any place in an action RPG like this, but nevertheless, they’re in here and they work quite well. The story is interesting, which is elevated by some pretty good voice acting. It was certainly better than I was expecting, with the title character Nier and your early sidekick Grimoire Weiss having solid performances.

So far, Nier is proving to be better than I was expecting, and even though it has numerous flaws that can’t be ignored, I find myself compelled to play it, and that’s what’s most important: that a game be fun.

Finally, there’s Yacht Club Games’ Shovel Knight, which I just wrote about yesterday. Having put around 4 hours into it so far, I’m about halfway through. It’s just a fantastic platforming adventure with so much to do.

Challenge and difficulty feel just right, although if you are not used to playing side-scrolling games like this that have limited continue points and other consequences for dying, it might initially feel punishing. It’s not Mega Man or Ninja Gaiden levels of punishing, but players just wanting to quickly fly through the game to see its ending will be met with a quick demise. In fact, many rooms are designed in such a way that you’ll take a hit and usually fall to your death — or at least get knocked back to the previous screen — if you just run in blind.

I can’t say enough about how good the game looks and sounds. Art and animation are of the highest quality, backgrounds have a ton of detail, and the music gets in your head and stays there. Jake Kaufman, with some contributions by original Mega Man composer Manami Matsumae, outdoes himself here. “La Danse Macabre”, a song that will bring to mind a very popular vampire-slaying series on the NES, is one of many standout musical pieces in what is already an amazing soundtrack.

Shovel Knight would have to seriously pull the rug out from under me at this point to fail. What a game!

Shovel Knight: 8-bit Perfection

July 2, 2014 by Mike

I’m only about an hour into Yacht Club Games’ Shovel Knight, but I already know this will be one of my favorites of 2014.

Successfully funded on Kickstarter in early 2013, the final product is nothing short of stunning. I actually feel bad that I wasn’t able to contribute to its campaign last year — I was in the middle of moving and changing jobs at the time — but something tells me I’ll be buying at least a couple different versions of it before all is said and done.

Available for the PC, 3DS, and Wii U, Shovel Knight is a prime example of balancing childhood nostalgia with streamlined, modern design. It looks good in screenshots, but it truly comes to life in motion, with multi-plane parallax scrolling that was more common in the 16-bit generation, although there were several 8-bit games that did make use of this technique. Whether it’s accurate or not doesn’t matter; it looks terrific.

Use of color, art direction, and character animation are all top-notch and pop off the screen. There aren’t any artificial graphic filters here, so the sprites are crisp with every last square pixel shining through beautifully, exactly how I like it.

There’s a surprisingly personal story intermixed with the game’s humorous presentation, and the writing throughout is superb. You won’t find any badly translated text in Shovel Knight, although who knows? There might be some later for nostalgia’s sake.

Then there’s the soundtrack, which is also mind-bogglingly good. You can listen to and buy it for any price HERE, and they even offer the original NES .NSF file download for free. Talk about going above and beyond.

Even this early on, there’s so much good stuff happening. Talking to the quirky townsfolk uncovers all sorts of useful information and helpful hints, hidden areas, mini-games, a music player, and upgrades.

The actual stages are full of dangerous enemies, tiny platforms, and fun challenges that take some planning if you’re going to collect every gem strewn throughout each screen. With such intuitive, responsive controls, playing through Shovel Knight has been an absolute joy so far.

I’m going to go out on a limb (but not really) by predicting that I’ll be giving this game an A — if not an A+ — by the time I’m done with it. There are certain games where you can just tell within a short time playing it. This is one of those games.

Backlog Blitz: The games of June 2014

July 1, 2014 by Mike

June hurt. A lot. Although I didn’t spend a lot of money ($63.75), I only finished 2 games worth $20.00. With the year already halfway over, heading into July with only a +2 advantage isn’t the most positive of omens. Let’s hope the rest of the year turns things around! Anyway, the format, as with previous updates, is Game Title (Platform, Purchase Price, Play Time).

Games purchased (-9, $63.75 spent):

Lego City Undercover (Wii U, $5.00)
The Lego games — and the work of Traveller’s Tales in general — have been hit or miss with me in the past, but I’ve heard great things about this one. Having played through and thoroughly enjoyed Grand Theft Auto V earlier this year, I’m eager to try this, a more family-friendly open-world action game.
Picross e4 (3DS, $6.00)
This was mainly a purchase for my wife, who loves all things Picross. I didn’t even know that these eShop versions existed until I just happened upon them while browsing through the store a few weeks ago. So far, a thumbs-up from her, so things are looking good!
Aban Hawkins & the 1001 Spikes (Wii U, $6.50)
Nicalis is one of my favorite indie developer/publishers — responsible for the excellent 3DS versions of Cave Story and VVVVVV — and it didn’t take much beyond its weird trailer to convince me that I’d be buying this on day one. Just started it, and it’s fantastic.
NES Remix 2 (Wii U, $10.00)
After giving the first NES Remix a second chance, I ended up really liking it, so picking up the second one was a no-brainer. Game selection looks better, and there are a number of changes and improvements to it that should make it an even more enjoyable trip down memory lane.
Far Cry 3 (PC, $7.50)
And then came the Steam Summer Sale, which unfortunately accounts for this and most of the remaining games below. I’ve never played any of the Far Cry games, but I’ve heard really good things about this particular installment. The trailer shown at E3 for Far Cry 4 looked intriguing, so I might as well get educated on what this series is all about.
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (PC, $3.75)
A total impulse buy, I have no idea what this is about, except that everyone who has played it says it’s one of the coolest things from 2013. Looks like it’s chock-full of ’80s and 16-bit nostalgia, so that sounds like it’s right up my alley.
New Super Luigi U (Wii U, $17.50)
I’ve been waiting for a good price on the retail version of this New Super Mario Bros. U DLC, and I finally found one. The original game was one of my favorites on the Wii U, and is up there with New Super Mario Bros. Wii as my favorite of the “New” series.
Spelunky (PC, $3.75)
Took me a while to finally buy this, and the Steam Sale made it possible for a great price. I played a good chunk of the non-HD version years ago, so I’m looking forward to losing myself in this enhanced version.
BattleBlock Theater (PC, $3.75)
Another impulse purchase based on a friend’s recommendation. It’s a platformer by The Behemoth (Alien Hominid and Castle Crashers), which sounds like a winning combination to me!

Games finished (+2, $20.00 value):

NES Remix (Wii U, $15.00, 15 hrs.)
Although I still can’t get over how bad the controls are in games like Ice Climber, Urban Champion, and the original Mario Bros. (non-Super), this is still a great compilation that will make you look at the NES era in entirely new ways. I’m glad I gave it another chance, because I ended up really enjoying it. Overall: B+ (Review Link)
DuckTales (NES, $5.00, 4 hrs.)
This is a short game, but it’ll definitely take you several playthroughs to extract everything there is out of it. But even after that, you’ll likely come back for more. This is a unique, fun platformer that proudly does its license justice. Good graphics, great music, fun gameplay, and nonlinear level design. Overall: B+ (Review Link)

And with that, we head into the second half of 2014! If E3 is any indicator, it’s going to take some serious willpower to make it through the rest of the year in positive territory.

Backlog Blitz: The games of May 2014

June 27, 2014 by Mike

I stopped the bleeding (somewhat) in May. I bought 7 games and finished 6, so I was pretty happy about that. June is not looking pretty by any stretch of the imagination though — 9 bought and 2 finished with only 3 days left this month! — but I’ll hopefully be able to squeeze in one or two more before the year’s half over. Do or do not, there is no try, right? Anyway, the format, like before, is Game Title (Platform, Purchase Price, Play Time).

Games purchased (-7, $108.25 spent):

Child of Light (PC, $12.00)
Developed with the UbiArt Framework engine, I’ve been looking forward to this RPG ever since I first saw it. Getting around to actually playing it is proving to be a bit challenging, but it’s one of those games I know will be a wonderful experience, and wanted to make sure I bought it at launch.
Tales of Symphonia Chronicles (PS3, $10.00)
Sony had a good 50% off sale on PSN this month, and since I read that the original Tales of Symphonia was one of the better ones in the series, I picked this up. I haven’t played or finished a Tales game since Tales of Destiny on the original PlayStation, so I’m sure I’m in for a surprise!
Sonic Hits Collection (PC, $7.50)
Normally $30, I couldn’t pass up this nice discount on the Humble Store. It includes more Sonic games than you can shake a stick at: Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, Sonic 3 and Knuckles, Sonic 3D Blast, Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, Sonic Adventure DX, Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed: Metal Sonic & Outrun DLC, Sonic CD, Sonic Generations, Sonic Generations – Casino Nights DLC, Sonic Spinball, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 – Episode 1, and Sonic the Hedgehog 4 – Episode 2. Whew!
Saints Row IV (PC, $10.00)
Another 75% off title during May’s Humble Store sale. I never did get around to picking this up when it first came out — perhaps I was still feeling bitter about THQ’s demise — but I still have friends at Volition, so this one’s for them. If I remember right, IV was originally supposed to be DLC for Saints Row: The Third, so I’m curious to see how it holds up as a standalone product.
Rogue Legacy (PC, $3.75)
75% off seems to be the sweet spot for me and most digital PC games. I remember my friends talking about this one last year, and I finally got around to buying it. It looks like just the kind of game I’m going to love and sink many, many hours into. Crazy-good animation and good, tight controls.
The Humble Bundle: PC & Android 10 (PC/Android, $5.00)
Another solid bundle to help build up my Steam and mobile gaming library. Good games, good cause. This one includes: Breach & Clear, Draw a Stickman: EPIC, Fieldrunners, Fieldrunners 2, Frozen Synapse, Galcon Fusion, Galcon Legends, Ittle Dew, METAL SLUG 3, Skulls of the Shogun, and Symphony.
Mario Kart 8 (Wii U, $60.00)
I don’t buy too many games full-price at retail, but in this case, I couldn’t help it. I started playing it immediately, and it’s easily the best Mario Kart game since the original SNES version, particularly after my disappointment with Mario Kart 7 on the 3DS. I still have a lot to do and unlock in the game, but it’s been so much fun, and getting the free game (I selected Pikmin 3) was a very generous 2-for-1 gesture by Nintendo.

Games finished (+6, $83.00 value):

Persona 4 Golden (Vita, $40.00, 60 hrs.)
This was the main reason — perhaps the only reason — why I originally wanted a Vita. I loved Persona 3 Portable on the PSP, and wanted to play its sequel in handheld form. I had some problems with it, even starting over on the easiest difficulty, and it still took a very long time to finish. I think these games are just a bit too long for their own good, but they’re still a lot of fun with great style, music, and gameplay. Overall: B+ (Review Link)
Tearaway (Vita, $40.00, 10 hrs.)
I’m about to throw in the towel for the second time on LittleBigPlanet because of its awful controls, but Media Molecule got that part right with Tearaway. The camera isn’t very good when it needs to be, but the total experience is just beautiful and very original. It’s my favorite game on the Vita. Overall: A (Review Link)
Monument Valley (Android, Free, 2 hrs.)
Criminally short, but a totally essential game on mobile. Wonderful use of color, an atmosphere that will remind you of Journey on the PS3, and mind-bending design all combine to deliver one of the best games I’ve played this year on Android. Overall: A- (Review Link)
The Room Two (Android, $3.00, 5 hrs.)
The Room was a fantastic game, and its sequel is at least its equal, doing some things better and some things worse. I liked that it’s bigger, scarier, and of the same high quality that made the first game so memorable. However, making the game bigger means you have to move around more and get out of that zen-like dive into these puzzles that was so darn cool in the original. This makes puzzles more elaborate, but in a way, less intimate. Overall: A- (Review Link)
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse 1990 (PS3, Free, 3 hrs.)
Just as good as I remember from the Sega Genesis days. Inspired animation, a classic soundtrack, and lots of gameplay variety. The game is short, and the controls feel a little too rigid, but at least they’re accurate. Overall: B+ (Review Link)
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse 2013 (PS3, Free, 3 hrs.)
They had the right idea with this one, and I think in the hands of a better developer, it could have been something truly special, proudly standing next to the original. It has nice art, music, and level design, but the atrocious controls, lousy hit detection, and mediocre performance make it an average experience at best. Overall: C (Review Link)

A -1 finish overall for the month, and I ended up $25.25 in the hole, which isn’t too bad. If I just had to pick one or two games to recommend to my readers, it’d be Tearaway and Monument Valley, two very unique gaming experiences that you won’t soon forget.

A glimpse inside GHG HQ

June 17, 2014 by Mike

Since I enjoy checking out other folks’ gaming setups, I thought it might be fun to quickly show you where I sit to play games and write here at GHG. Most setups out there are so much more robust than mine, and it’s just really cool to see the pride and effort that goes into them. I used to be heavily into home audio and video, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve downsized. Not sure what that’s all about, and chances are good I’ll get that urge again to go big.

Anyway, this is my view throughout most of the day. I do everything on a single Dell U2711 27″ monitor, which can definitely be challenging, especially when you’re trying to play, type, research, and capture video all at once. Although I had issues with its on-screen display controls a few years ago, it’s easily one of the best monitors I’ve ever owned. Great color accuracy, and with a resolution of 2560 x 1440, PC gaming and image editing on it is great.

My mouse is a SteelSeries Sensei Raw, which my good friend from Phoenix recommended. Since I’m left-handed, finding good, ambidextrous mice can be tough, but this one’s perfect. Good feel, excellent tracking, and zero issues so far. It replaced a Razer Lachesis that started giving me trouble within a year, and I don’t see myself going back anytime soon. The mousepad is a SteelSeries QcK Mass, which is large — but not too large at 12.6″ x 11.2″ — and that hasn’t let me down either.

My keyboard is less interesting — a standard Microsoft Ergonomic 4000 — but since I type far more than I game on my PC these days, it’s my preferred way to click away. I have a CM Storm QuickFire Pro keyboard with Cherry MX Red switches in storage, and that thing’s super-responsive and built like a tank, but I don’t like typing on it, and perhaps more importantly, my wife can’t stand the loud noise.

The speakers hiding behind the monitor stand are part of a compact Onkyo 2.1 system, but I game almost exclusively via headphones, so they don’t get much use. The mains are small, though, so they don’t get in the way and take up minimal desk real estate.

The wired 360 Controller on the right is what I use for most modern PC games, and it’s what I played all three Batman: Arkham games with earlier this year. I use mouse and keyboard for first-person games, but even with those, if a controller option is offered, I’ll generally pick that. I know, PC sacrilege!

In terms of classic gaming, these are my weapons of choice. Via import, Sega offers this great official Saturn-based USB controller, and it’s perfect for all of those old Sega games. The 6-button layout makes it a good choice for a lot of other fighting games as well, in case you don’t have a traditional joystick. I consider the Saturn directional pad one of the best ever made, so it’s nice being able to use it on PC.

While there is no official Nintendo USB controller, the Buffalo Classic USB Gamepad is about as close to perfect as you can get if you don’t have an adapter and want that Super Nintendo feel. The directional pad sits slightly higher than it does on an official controller, but everything’s responsive and very solid. I definitely recommend it over the more common Tomee knock-offs, which are cheap and of inconsistent quality.

My console stack is pretty light, and only includes the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii U. Nothing too exciting there. They all go through the Pioneer receiver below, and are then sent out to the Elgato Game Capture HD, where it’s split once again between the monitor and my PC for recording. Which reminds me: I still owe you a review of the Elgato. Soon, I promise!

So there you have it. It’s not the most luxurious setup in the world, but it gets the job done.

E3 2014: My Games of the Show

June 13, 2014 by Mike

After a week full of announcements, surprises, disappointments, and more new games than you can shake a stick at, E3 has come to a close. Although I enjoy watching E3 from the comfort of home, there is a part of me that definitely misses not being able to physically be there and play the games in person. Despite the traffic, sore feet, headaches, and halitosis, you just can’t replace that in-person experience.

Anyway, now that the show is over and I’ve had a few days to think about the games that were on display, I wanted to share my personal list of titles I’m most excited about. Basically, if I had the power to, I’d play all of these right now.

Here we go, in relative order of my excitement level from lowest to highest. Special thanks to NeoGAF for providing a handy list of the games at E3 that I used for reference, several of which I completely missed earlier in the week.

One thing’s for sure: October of this year and what looks like all of 2015 are going to be crowded with lots of high-quality games. I hope your wallets are ready!

Hohokum (PS4/PS3/Vita, August 2014)
Supporting Cross-Play, this is a very unique-looking title that underscores the robust lineup that the PlayStation brand is known for. It has a look that is not unlike that of LocoRoco, and represents the style of new thinking common to many games of this decade. It looks like a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to see those colors pop on the Vita.

Pushmo World (Wii U, June 2014)
Even though they can frustrate me, I love the puzzle games Pushmo and Crashmo on the 3DS. I gave Crashmo an A- back in January, and I was hoping the series wouldn’t end there. I’m really happy that it’s making its way to the Wii U next week! I honestly don’t know if Intelligent Systems is capable of making a bad game, although the jury’s still out on their recently announced Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. Just about everything they do is fun, polished, and imaginative.

Gunman Clive 2 (3DS, Q3 2014)
Nintendo released a ton of eShop trailers for their systems this year, but Gunman Clive 2 was the one that stood out for me. The original was a fun little action/platformer, but it was really short. It has a great style, good controls, and was the kind of game that definitely needed a sequel. And here it is, looking terrific. It should be a lot of fun.

Assassin’s Creed: Unity (PS4/Xbox One/PC, October 2014)
This is a series that I haven’t given much attention to over the years, but I was really impressed by what I saw at E3 this year. The cinematic trailer is nice, but the in-game footage is what’s truly gorgeous, and really said “next-generation” to me. All throughout the week, I was continually surprised by just how good most games look this generation in terms of raw detail, performance, and individual style.

Grand Theft Auto V (PS4/Xbox One/PC, Fall 2014)
I gave the original Grand Theft Auto V an A+ in March, and cited it as one of my favorite games on the PS3. I’ll likely have to double-dip on the PC, where it will finally be able to shine as bright as it was meant to. Not sure if I’ll have it in me to replay it from the start, but it sounds like you’ll be able to transfer your save data somehow. Hopefully that’s true for PC as well!

Evolve (PS4/Xbox One/PC, October 2014)
Online multiplayer games aren’t my thing, and that probably isn’t going to change anytime soon, but I have to mention this since so many of my former friends and coworkers are busting their rumps to get this game done. This was one of the last projects at THQ before the company went belly-up, so a lot of us have a lasting connection with it. It’s been receiving extremely high praise from press and players alike, so I have no doubt it will be a huge hit for Turtle Rock Studios and 2K Games.

Mirror’s Edge 2 (PS4/Xbox One/PC, 2016)
It’s tough to get too excited over a game slated for 2016, but I can’t deny that I’m really drawn to the game’s style. It’s one of the most unique out there. I’m so glad that DICE is able to work on games like this again after a very successful — but ultimately uninteresting to me — run with the Battlefield series.

Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse (Wii U/3DS, Q3 2014)
I played Shantae: Risky’s Revenge back in September of 2012, and I absolutely loved it. Pirate’s Curse, co-developed by WayForward and Inti Creates, looks insanely beautiful, and will definitely be a must-buy for me when it comes out later this year. Now to decide whether to get the Wii U or 3DS version. Those graphics might demand that I play it in HD.

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (3DS, Q3 2014)
I’ve never played any of the Etrian Odyssey games, but I used to be a big fan of first-person dungeon crawlers on the old Apple //e. Mixing that style with cute, super-deformed Persona 3 and Persona 4 characters? Yeah, I won’t be able to resist that. Not one bit.

Bayonetta 2 + Bayonetta 1 (Wii U, October 2014)
Originally announced as a Wii U exclusive back in 2012, fans of Platinum Games are eagerly awaiting this one. I have admittedly not played the original, but this looks so crazy over-the-top that I’m now pretty excited about its arrival! It also has some Nintendo franchise tie-ins, including The Legend of Zelda and Metroid, which looks silly and awesome at the same time.

Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright (3DS, August 2014)
When I first heard that they were going to cross these two series together, I wasn’t sure how it was going to work. Although they share some similarities, their styles are vastly different. I also wasn’t really sure if we’d ever get this game, but now that we are, and I’ve seen the trailer, I’m super-excited about it! Both of these games have made me pretty mad in the past with their occasionally obscure puzzle designs, but this is looking really good. The animated cutscenes have a particularly premium feel to them that I can appreciate.

Forza Horizon 2 (Xbox One/360, September 2014)
Although I have yet to play the first one, I really liked what I saw of this at Microsoft’s press conference. I don’t have an Xbox One yet, so I might get the 360 version. However, knowing there’s a superior version out there might be a hard pill to swallow. With the cheaper $400 Xbox One sans Kinect now out there, Microsoft’s making that decision a little easier for those of us still on the fence.

Sunset Overdrive (Xbox One, October 2014)
After a string of pretty serious games over the past year, like The Last of Us and Tomb Raider, games like Sunset Overdrive really stand out. I haven’t been much of an Insomniac follower over the years — the last game of theirs I ever completed was the original Spyro the Dragon! — but this looks like it could bring me back. I love the animation, and there’s a distinct Jet Grind Radio vibe going on as well, which is never a bad thing.

Driveclub (PS4, October 2014)
I really didn’t pay much attention to this leading up to E3, and prematurely wrote it off as just another racing game. However, after seeing some coverage, what I really like about it is that it is less Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport, and more Project Gotham Racing. This is potentially very exciting news since fans of the PGR series have been left hanging since 2007. It looks and sounds great — including some phenomenal weather effects — so I’m really looking forward to seeing what the final product is like!

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (PS4/Xbox One/PC, February 2015)
This is yet another series (in a long line of them, can’t you tell?) that I have never played, but after getting a taste of it with this trailer and some of the other coverage this week, it now has my full attention. This just looks ridiculously good, and there’s no doubt I’m going to have to fire up my copy of The Witcher 2 on Steam sometime soon to see what it’s all about!

Costume Quest 2 (Everything under the sun, October 2014)
A fond memory of mine was working on the first Costume Quest at THQ. The team had the best time working with Double Fine, and it remains one of the smoothest and delightful projects we saw in QA. The first game was fun and charming, but rather simple and short. The sequel looks to really raise the bar and deliver a game that improves upon it in every way. Like Grim Fandango, it’s great to see Double Fine flourish and create games that their fans really want.

Volume (PS4/Vita/PC, 2014)
Mike Bithell’s Thomas Was Alone is one of my favorite Vita games. His next game looks like it has some interesting ideas, and I’m sure by the time it releases later this year, it will be of the same high quality as TWA. The very strange — but refreshingly cool — live-action trailer adds to its mystery and a seemingly dark, comedic nature.

Night in the Woods (PS4/PC, 2015)
Successfully funded on Kickstarter back in November 2013, this just looks lovely. It has a clean style, and looks to touch on some very serious life and existence issues. Music sounds great and you can tell the team is dedicated to making this an unforgettable and unique adventure. This one totally flew under the radar for me, but I think it’s one of the more interesting games I’ve seen this week.

Abzu (PS4, No Release Date)
From the same Art Director and Composer as 2012’s Journey — one of the most sublime PS3 games I played last generation — this looks to be another winner. Gorgeous visuals with a wonderfully mysterious atmosphere. Unless something goes terribly wrong during its development, I’ll be there on day one for this!

No Man’s Sky (PS4, No Release Date)
Dinosaurs, technology, Robotech-like space battles, and procedurally generated worlds to explore. It all sounds — and especially looks — brilliant, but I worry a little bit about the actual gameplay. Games like these have historically left me feeling empty because they lack focus, but I’m going to keep the faith with this one. I hope it ends up being a game from this generation that we’ll be talking about years from now.

Fantasy Life (3DS, October 2014)
Out of nowhere came the news of Level 5’s RPG being localized for the US. It wasn’t the Dragon Quest VII remake announcement I was hoping for, but this looks like a lot of fun! The musical score in particular — composed by Final Fantasy legend Nobuo Uematsu — sounds beautiful, with sweeping, grand melodies and nice instrumentation. I can’t wait for this one!

Grim Fandango (PS4/Vita, No Release Date)
If you are a fan of the classic PC adventure game, this was probably at or near the top of your list of favorite announcements this week. Just hearing them say “Grim Fandango” and seeing the logo up on screen was enough to give me chills. Hopefully it doesn’t take too long to remaster, but seeing as it’s been 16 years since the original, I suppose we can wait a little longer. No PC version as of yet, but it has to be coming out at some point, right? If so, I’ll have to get that version out of respect for the original.

Valiant Hearts (Everything except Wii U, June 2014)
Utilizing the UbiArt Framework engine, this adventure game looks so unique, and it’s nice to see a shifting focus from WWII overload to other conflicts. There are so many other stories to tell — such as these — so I’m really looking forward to this game’s release later this month.

Cuphead (Xbox One/PC, Q4 2014)
I had totally forgotten about this game until one of my friends mentioned it on Google+. I don’t like the name — it needs a subtitle or something — but the game itself looks absolutely amazing. With a convincing 1930’s animation style and slick design, it really stands out in an ever-growing sea of side-scrolling games. This is “retro” taken to a whole different level. More games like this, please!

Rise of the Tomb Raider (Xbox One, Late 2015)
2013’s Tomb Raider totally exceeded my expectations when I played it earlier this year. After beating it, I immediately wanted to play a sequel. Although only shown in cutscene form, it looked intense, and I have full confidence that Crystal Dynamics will deliver a game that outdoes the original in every way possible. It’s one of my most anticipated games this generation, so here’s to the long wait.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (PS4, 2015)
Although the trailer was short and didn’t show any gameplay, Uncharted 4 is obviously at or near the top of many Most Wanted lists, including mine. The PS3 trilogy is among my all-time favorites, and although Uncharted 3 was the weakest one, I trust that Naughty Dog will bring it back to its former glory on PS4. The footage shown, running realtime in-game at 1080p and 60fps, made jaws hit the floor. Subtle, almost imperceptible details shine through with each subsequent viewing. If the final game does indeed look as good as this, prepare for PS4 shortages once again.

Batman: Arkham Knight (PS4/Xbox One/PC, 2015)
Easily one of my most anticipated games right now. Not much more needs to be said about this one, and I’ll probably avoid most media on it from here on out. I know it’ll be good, and I’ll definitely be there on release day, no matter what!

Ori and the Blind Forest (Xbox One/360/PC, Q4 2014)
This was probably my favorite game of the show that was shown with actual gameplay. It’s stunningly beautiful with an aesthetic similar to the UbiArt Framework games, appears to have very smooth gameplay, all wrapped up in a mysteriously magical atmosphere. Seeing a game like this makes me so happy that 2D design and artwork has not just persevered, but thrived. I have very, very high hopes for this one. Maybe too high.

The Legend of Zelda (Wii U, 2015)
And finally, the Nintendo bomb felt around the world on Tuesday morning. I’ve already expressed my “slight” excitement over this one, but it’s worth it. This was easily the game at E3 that blew my mind the most. Sure, it looks like it was mainly just an in-engine cutscene, but that wide shot of Hyrule has already captured my imagination, looking so vibrant and full of life. As I heard someone say, “I want to live there!” Couldn’t agree more. Minus the monsters, perhaps. The art style is just perfect. It will be a long, excruciatingly painful wait for this one, but I’m sure it will be 100% worth it.

And with that, it’s now time to recover from the show and get back to actually playing games again. Have a great weekend everyone!

Backlog Blitz: The games of March 2014

May 29, 2014 by Mike

It’s been a rough week. Even though every fiber of my being wants to just rest and resume business as usual on Monday, I think it’s important to keep things going here at GHG. Taking a break can make it that much harder to get back into it, and I know me: I’ve tried and quit a lot of things, so I can’t let that happen again.

Anyway, March was a good month. With only 5 purchases and a decent completion tally of 7 games, I pushed my total upwards a bit. The format, like January and February, is Game Title (Platform, Purchase Price, Play Time).

Games purchased (-5, $67.50 spent):

Pokemon X (3DS, $20.00)
Tough to resist a good 50% off sale, and so even though I have never really played or finished a single Pokemon title, starting with the latest one is probably an OK place to begin. My friends told me to get X instead of Y, so get X I did.
The Humble Mobile Bundle 4 (Android, $3.00)
Although I’m getting to the point where I have most of the games offered by current Humble Bundles, I’ll still pick them up. This bundle included BADLAND Premium, Breach & Clear, Catan, Color Sheep, Gunslugs, OLO, Riptide GP2, Vector, and Zombie Gunship.
The Humble Weekly Sale: PopCap (PC, $6.00)
I bought the vast majority of these in a PopCap bundle for my wife years ago, but decided to add some of them to my library as well. Pretty good selection: Peggle Deluxe, Bejeweled 3, Bookworm Deluxe, Escape Rosecliff Island, Feeding Frenzy 2 Deluxe, Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition, Peggle Nights, and Zuma’s Revenge.
PlayStation Plus (12-month, PS3/Vita/PS4, $35.00)
It took me a long time to finally sign up, but a 30% off sale made me pull the trigger. This is only my second month with the service, but the free games alone across all three of Sony’s platforms makes this one of the best deals in gaming. It’s no wonder Microsoft had to bring out Games With Gold, to which Sony has already countered by increasing the number of PS4 games per month to 2 instead of 1 starting in June. How long this kind of great value can be sustained in anyone’s guess, so you’ll never see me complain about it.
Thomas Was Alone: Benjamin’s Flight DLC (Vita, $3.50)
As part of PlayStation Plus, I finished Thomas Was Alone (see below), and immediately had to purchase its follow-up DLC.

Games finished (+7, $44.50 value):

SpellTower (Android, $1.00, 2 hrs.)
This one’s a nice cross between Tetris and Bookworm. It’s a fun diversion that I still find myself playing while out and about, waiting for a table at a restaurant, or any instance where I need to kill a few minutes. While word games aren’t my favorite, it’s still very well-made with a number of different modes, multiplayer, intuitive touch control, style, and challenge. Overall: B
Grand Theft Auto V (PS3, Free, 40 hrs.)
This is the first Grand Theft Auto game I’ve ever finished, and it’s easily one of the best games I’ve ever played. I was at first overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff you can do, but Rockstar has designed it in such a way that you almost always feel naturally led to the next activity. A wealth of variety, entertainment, and quality is in no short supply here, and each subsequent mission continued to blow me away. I have a feeling I’m going to be completely ruined on most other open-world titles from this point forward. Great characters, expertly designed missions, hilarious lowbrow gags, and the underlying technology driving everything in this game is impressive. It’s crazy to think that this is running on hardware that’s nearly 8 years old. Overall: A+
Batman: Arkham Asylum (PC, $7.50, 30 hrs.)
I had previously tried to play this two times, but for different reasons that weren’t related to the game itself, I stopped playing. After enjoying the open world of GTA5 so much, I wanted to go back and play this one before tackling the bigger Arkham City. I loved everything about it, especially the hand-to-hand combat, which is just so fluid and intuitive. I’m no Batman expert, but outside of the comics, this series is the best treatment of the license I’ve ever experienced. The in-game dialogue scenes are comically amateurish, which is too bad since the rest of the game is so good, but they don’t detract from what is an otherwise perfectly crafted action game with tons of collectibles and things to do. Rocksteady’s treatment of The Joker and Scarecrow are particularly memorable, too. Overall: A+
Broken Age: Act 1 (PC, $25.00, 5 hrs.)
I hopped aboard the Broken Age train really late because for some reason, my Kickstarter backing didn’t take initially. No matter, though — this is a charming adventure game that leaves the player with one heck of a cliffhanger ending. It’s almost unfair. I remember reading about how backers thought it was too short and easy, but since I’m not the biggest adventure game purist and I can’t stand obscure puzzles, I found it to be just right. Most of the puzzles are pretty simple, but they’re also intuitive, and they’re not all easy: there were a couple that almost pushed me to look at a FAQ. Yes, it’s a short game, but not if you take your time and enjoy everything the designers put into it. It’s at its best when you’re left to just experiment with item combos and usage to see what the characters will say. They all have great dialogue that must have been a lot of fun to write. The soundtrack is terrific, the art and animation are well-crafted, and it’s just a cool throwback to the type PC adventure games so many of us played in the ’90s. Overall: A-
Batman: Arkham City (PC, $7.50, 60 hrs.)
I loved Arkham Asylum, and Arkham City delivered on the promise of a bigger world to explore, more gadgets, and lots of things to do. It had a nice Legend of Zelda vibe to its world structure and game flow. Its depiction of the Penguin, Ra’s al Ghul, and Mr. Freeze were fantastic, and although the story takes a Batman-like nosedive into predictable cliches at the end, I enjoyed the game itself just as much as its predecessor. Side missions were fun, and some of the Riddler trophies were downright diabolical. I loved that they were turned into puzzles themselves, taking some good timing and ingenuity to collect. Traversal in Gotham City was painless, and I really liked all the refinements made since Asylum, particularly to the combat. Keeping Riddler informants alive adds a nice layer of strategy to the mob fights, and it’s addicting grabbing all the subsequent collectibles. Although the size and length of the game inherently makes the story feel less refined and focused as Asylum‘s, I still thought this was as good a game as the first. Overall: A+
Thomas Was Alone (Vita, Free, 6 hrs.)
What a surprise. Included for free as part of March’s PlayStation Plus offerings, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I thought it was just going to be your typical minimalist platformer with some indie quirkiness thrown in for good measure, but what I got was one of the most charming and memorable games I’ve played in a long time. While it’s not the most challenging platformer — this isn’t Super Meat Boy — it’s still fun and provides a lot of rewarding gameplay. I found myself compelled to complete it primarily for its wonderful story and characters. It’s pretty short, even after going through it twice to listen to the Developer Commentary, but it’s worth every minute. I think that anyone who has even a passing interest in game design should play this twice. Overall: A
Thomas Was Alone: Benjamin’s Flight DLC (Vita, $3.50, 1 hr.)
The follow-up DLC for Thomas Was Alone adds some new characters, play control, and good narrative, but it is extremely short, and unfortunately (for now), doesn’t include Developer Commentary, which was one of my favorite features of the original game. It gave such valuable insight into Mike Bithell’s approach to both game and character design that it almost feels like the DLC is missing a limb. Still worth the cost of entry, despite its lack of length and features. Overall: B

So that was March in a nutshell. It was thankfully a very light month in terms of how much I spent, and I was rewarded with some of the best games I’ve ever played. It will certainly be a tough month to beat!

Unboxing the Elgato Game Capture HD

May 21, 2014 by Mike

Over the weekend, I debated whether I should buy a PlayStation 4 or not, even going so far as to write a rather pathetic justification for one here on GHG last week. Well, self-control won, and for the time being, I’m sans a PS4. If I don’t have one before Batman: Arkham Knight comes out, I certainly will. That game looks amazing, and likely Game of the Year material.

Instead, with the blog now in full-swing, I decided to get something that would help make it better. At least visually, anyway. Taking screenshots in PC, Wii U, and most Vita games is a snap, but doing the same thing in Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games is less elegant. I’ve been using my phone and bulky camera to take off-screen pictures of games I’m playing, which is a difficult and tedious process. Having to quickly take my hands off the controller to snap pictures is a pain, and limits the types of shots I can get. They usually involve an in-game character standing around doing nothing.

After doing a great deal of research on the various HD capture devices on the market, the Elgato Game Capture HD was the near-unanimous choice for video capturing and streaming enthusiasts. I pulled the trigger this past Monday, and received it today. You gotta love Amazon Prime.

For those who care about packaging quality, you won’t be disappointed here. The device and its accessories come in a nice, full-color slipcase with a clamshell insert made out of the same material. 4 sets of cables are included: HDMI, Mini-to-Standard USB, Component/Stereo adapter, and PS3.

The device itself comes wrapped in clear protective tape to prevent in-transit damage, and is finished in a classic gloss black with rubberized feet to keep it from sliding around. All input and output terminals are clearly marked.

The only documentation included is a single Quick Start card, which is par for the course these days with small electronics. I know it saves on paper and weight, but I do prefer something a little more informative with my purchases. No CD software is included either, and has to be downloaded directly from Elgato’s website.

However, one thing I really do like is that the Game Capture HD doesn’t require any external power supply, so that helps keep your gaming area clear of one more cable and potential power brick. It’s a small touch, but a welcome one.

For now, here are some pictures I took today, which let you see everything close-up. I’ll report back on how the device actually works after I give it a thorough workout.

Front of box

Back of box

Box insert

Game Capture HD device

Game Capture HD inputs

Game Capture HD outputs

All included documentation and cables

Pictures taken with a Canon EOS 40D DSLR, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens, and 1 580EX II on-camera flash.

Gray-Haired Gamer

Gaming in my forties

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