Recent reviews by ScarBrow

I’m recommending this game with one very big caveat:

People who remember the original “Shufflepuck Cafe” from Broderbund Software will LOVE this game! It’s a great looking and VERY faithful homage to the original, right down to the broken glass and the music in one of the areas. That said, I’m not so sure it could keep the interest of today’s gamers for long.

The game is basically just air hockey. They’ve added a silly stranded-on-an-alien-planet premise, to explain what you’re even doing there, because... you know... that matters! In fact, the game gives FAR more to the player than I ever would have expected. There’s different game modes, different areas with different opponents presenting different challenges. There’s points and rankings, money, a slots game with prizes, dozens of different mallets and pucks to unlock, etc, etc.

There's even a back-story to unlock for each of the opponents you face, with their own little place in the sci-fi universe of Shufflepuck Cantina!

I’m serious... There’s a Sci-Fi Universe... for an air hockey game!

Ultimately, you’re supposed to unlock all the character’s back-stories to get “parts” for your crashed spaceship. Once you’ve done that, you'll challenge the “end boss” who has the last part, presumably so you can finally leave this charming little Tatooine knockoff!

To be honest, even as nostalgic as I am, I doubt I’ll ever actually put in enough time to get that far. But you have to admire Agharta Studio for having put so much effort and imagination into such a simple game. Bravo!

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably watched the video and looked at the screenshots for Mark of the Ninja, so you’ve a pretty good idea of what kind of game it is.

To be clear: I generally don’t like side-scrollers.

But Mark of the Ninja, to a large extent, gets away from the trial-and-error-frustration of so many side-scrollers and focuses instead on the stealth, mystique and out-and-out FUN of being a ninja! It’s less about timing that jump perfectly, and more about finding the best approach for a given situation.

The design of the levels and wide variety of gadgets encourages players to try different things. For example, you’ll be handsomely rewarded for quietly dispatching every enemy in an entire level, BUT you’ll also be handsomely rewarded if you complete your objectives without being detected or killing anyone. There’s no “right way” - the player decides!

There are also plenty of bonus objectives and secrets throughout that encourage players to explore. You’ll never really NEED to complete that next challenge room or find that last scroll, but doings so allows you unlock things faster.

And talk about unlocks: more outfits with more loadouts, more abilities, more gadgets, and so on - all to provide you with more possibilities. (I would've liked a greater variety of weapons than just the sword however. It would be pretty awesome to run through some of these levels with a kusarigama or Nunchaku!)

The story is somewhat predictable except for a neat twist at the end. It’s largely played out through cutscenes done in the same 2D animation style as the game play, with dreams and flashbacks that invoke traditional Japanese scroll paintings. I did find the game a bit on the short side however, but... there IS some excellent additional content available, for those left wanting more.

Ultimately, Mark of the Ninja is a game that gives a lot to the player, and THAT is the best kind of game!

It really pains me to do this because there are so many reasons to like this game.

The problem is that The Banner Saga simply doesn't deliver what it promises.

At the very beginning we are informed that at our decisions affect the game: THEY DON'T. Despite the fact that they've created this vast and gorgeous world, steeped in lore and history, you can't even choose where to go. You're firmly 'on-the-rails' for the entire game. Occasionally, you get text based encounters where you get to make a decision, but having played Banner Saga a couple of times, I can tell you that most of these change nothing. Sometimes one character or another dies, but it's trivial since they aren't really necessary anyway.

At the very beginning we are treated to a beautiful animated cut-scene complete with voice acted dialogue, so you'd figure those would come up at key points in the game at least, right? THEY DON'T. Not even at the end.

As the story develops, more and more layers are revealed: The gods are dead; the sun has stopped in the sky; there's a prophecy; there's tension and intrigue between characters and races, etc, etc. NONE OF IT GOES ANYWHERE. In a nut shell, the story is: survive until you get to the end boss - who has practically nothing to do with anything.

The artwork is gorgeous, the concept (Viking Oregon Trail + Turn Based Strategy + Some RPG elements) is simple but it works. But instead of using that simplicity to really open up the world, we're instead treated to a vast tableaux of untapped potential.

Maybe they're planning a sequel - and heck, I've put this many hours in already, I might even pick it up - but honestly, if a game leaves you feeling, "What, that's it?" It failed to deliver.


EDIT: I DO NOT care that Banner Saga is part of a planned trilogy. I WILL NOT base a review of a game on the potential of its sequel. I think that would be a huge disservice to those choosing whether or not to spend money on THIS game.

Having completed this game once more, I am again reminded just how awesome it is. While almost universally excellent, its climax gives you the same adrenalin rush that any good movie or book gives you. Mass Effect is a game that gives its all to the player and stands as a tribute to how amazing computer/video games can be when creativity is more important than money. I would not hesitate to recommend Mass Effect to anyone and everyone!