Game Information:
System: PC
Released in late 1997
Review written in Spring 2001; small changes made 2/26/03 for posting.
Review posted at Tendo City 2/26/2003. Edited and partially rewritten 2/26/2004 (for posting at Gamefaqs, and later the current TC homepage). Reposted here on 5/22/2005.
Developed by Titanic Entertainment
Published by Activision
Game Overview: Netstorm: Islands At War, developed by Titanic (Netstorm was its only game) and published by Activison, is a Real-Time Strategy game released in late 1997. Its main focus was on its quite good internet play mode. While the game failed to sell, it is actually quite a good game, despite some problems. Netstorm is unique in that it is a RTS game where the only units that can move are the resource gathers-- military and support units are stationary towers with specific functions and attack areas. This adds to the strategy because placement of the towers is a major part of the game. There is a wide variety of units. They are not balanced all that well, but all players can get all of the units eventually so it works well enough. These units are placed in the sky on floating islands. A (multiplayer) map will have a few large base islands around the edges, scattered resource geysers floating out in the air, and a field of small floating islands in the center. To get to geysers or islands or to build units (towers) of an island, you must build bridges. This is the game's most unique element. It is most similar to Tetris, actually, as the pieces are in many different shapes that you have to link together as you try to expand around the map. Skill at quickly and efficiently laying bridges is vital to being able to win, for if you are blocked off by bridges you will probably eventually lose. This is a problem for new players because quick bridge building takes time to learn. As such, new players lose most all the time to a good or even mediocre player. It takes time before you become good enough to compete with better players in the game, and this definitely would turn some people off of the game. Since geysers are all over the map, being cut off is devastating. And since geysers don't have too much gas in them, and randomly appear around the map, the more territory you have the more money you will make, given enough workers. The key to victory, though, isn't annihilating your enemy's units. It is sacrificing their High Priest. A Priest can be captured when damaged enough, and once captured, brought to a Altar where the victor's High Priest will sacrifice it. Once a person's priest is dead, they lose the game. It is a very unique game. This is probably its greatest strength and greatest curse, as the game is unique and there is nothing like it, but so different that many people will not like how different it is from every other RTS they have played. New players are also slowed down a lot by the structure of the multiplayer system, where at the start you only have a couple of basic units and actually have to unlock the better units in the game by winning matches and sacrificing enemy priests -- this means your enemies, if they are better, will not just be better but will have better units too. Clearly the game is designed so it is best to play against people of a similar skill level and rank, and played in that way it is fun. 9 of 10.
Single Player: Because Netstorm was clearly designed for its internet play, the single player mode leaves a lot to be desired. With no in-mission saving, a fairly long and tedious campaign, and more boring gameplay because there are only large islands and geysers in single player, the single player mode is clearly in the game just so they have one. It will take a while to get through, if you really want to, but probably isn't worth the effort. The poor story doesn't really make you want to progress, either. There are some better campaigns made by fans available for download, however, and if you want a good single player experience you should get them. They have things the main campaign doesn't like branching missions as well. 6/10.
Multi Player: This is where Netstorm is at its best. It was an early online RTS, coming out in demo form in fall 1997, and was probably ahead of its time. With free internet play built into the game, it is very easy to play online. Even here the game is unique -- instead of the average online interface, chatroom, and list of games, it has a ''sky'' where your island -- a small representation of the island you actually have in the game -- flies around, to where your mouse clicks, and joins a game when you click on a spot on a battle ring. That spot is the point (of the 8 start locations around the edge) where you actually start the game. Here, games from one to eight players are played on a map with large islands around the outside and a field of small ones in the middle with the geysers. Though there some problems online because of the fact that almost all players are either very good or no good, because of the small (though steady and probably slowly growing now that it is more available) number of people that play, it is still fun and even now, three years after this poorly selling game released, people are usually playing online. There was even a fanmade patch released late 2003. It broke single player mode, in some ways, but as I have said that does not matter. It added some great features to multiplay like different colored islands and bridges on the minimap for each player. The only real problems with online play are how many people cheat. Because of how the game was designed, cheating is fairly easy and lots of people cheat. Even with this latest patch, cheating is too easy. When past the cheating, though, the game is a lot of fun. But like many other things about this game its uniqueness is a weakness as well. I like the level progression where you unlock more characters as you win more games, but it does hurt new players chances of completing against good ones even more, or even against not so good ones who have more units. However, just getting a file with all the units isn't a good solution because you will then be thrown into playing against people who are far better than you, so following the rank tree is needed if you want to get good. It adds to replay value, though, because unlike most online games it actually gives you a tangible award for winning games (which is something I like about this). I like that. 10/10.
Graphics: Netstorm's graphics are clearly out of date, even though they get the job done. They are old, though, and may make some people not really try the game. This area is, because of the game's age and the fact that the graphics were just OK then, at best, one of the weakest areas of the game. It will even still slow down on a fast computer if you have a huge number of moving units on the screen -- a game limitation, clearly. That doesn't hurt the gameplay much though because again, only resource gatherers, not military units, move. If you can ignore the graphics, there is a good game behind them. 7/10.
Sound/Music: The music and sound in Netstorm is ok. While it won't stand out, it is decent and doesn't seem to repeat too often. Each resource gatherer will make some sound when you click on them, and they are good. The battle sounds are good as well. Overall, a little above average in this category. Nothing special really, but appropriate for the game. 8/10.
Other Info (& Value): While not immediately apparent, Netstorm does have a map editor for single player levels. However, to make a map you must both place the units and islands in the in-game editor you can get and create a text file to go with that map that tells the game everything from what units are enabled in the level for what players start with (it must be listed), and what the alliances and computer player scripts are. This is more complex than it sounds because this file is a text file and figuring out the syntax takes some time. For most people it probably isn't worth it and it would just be better to download some of the good campaigns that other users made. A few are good. The result is few maps made and fewer that are actually good. It is good that it has it, though. And with the infinitely replayable multiplayer as the main focus of the game, any single player is just gravy... 10/10.
Overall, it is a great and unique RTS, but has some definite flaws and limitations and a relatively high learning curve that probably keeps many new players from fully appreciating the game. Still, it is a good game and there is still nothing like it out there. Until there is, it will still be worth playing. One of my favorite RTSes, but I recognize that it is not for everyone.
Score: Raw Scores:
Gameplay- 9/10
Sound- 8/10
Graphics- 7/10
Single- 6/10
Multi- 10/10
Other 10/10
Total- 50/60 or 83%
Final Score (not the total-- this is what I feel the game deserves): 88% , because despite some problems and limitations it is still a good game.
Some links. Netstorm HQ is the main community site. Since Activision took down the Netstorm servers several years ago, they've been distributing the game as abandonware (and are working on patches -- one done, one coming sometime this year).
Mega-what? Metal Gear Solid is coming to Gamecube, according to France-based Newtechnix. Nintendo is working with Konami to develop a new installment in the series. In addition, Nintendo is working with EA to develop sports games. With an announcement this big, it pays to scrutinize your sources. While NEWTECHNIX is pretty reliable, this news has been passed from an Italian media interview with Miyamoto through the oft-mistaken hands of Nintendo Europe and finally to NEWTECHNIX.
Konami's Hideo Kojima has, in the past, considered Gamecube unfit for the MGS series. If this rumor turns out to be true, I get the sense that some compensation (read:money) was involved.
This news is the crown diamond in a necklace of high-profile revelations that have been unleashed by Nintendo in Europe. In the UK, NOE unveiled Pikmin 2 and Kirby's Air Ride, while a French interview with Miyamoto revealed information on the inner workings of EAD. It seems likely that this is Nintendo's way of saying, "We're serious about Europe."
I'm not ripping off my clothes and celebrating quite yet, but the raised probability of an MGS game on Gamecube has awakened an excitement in my spirit.
The survival horror genre is a relatively new one in comparison to most others. For the longest time the genre was defined by the one game series in it that was, and still is the most popular: Resident Evil. But in 1999 Konami released, to little fanfare, a survival horror game of their own. Titled Silent Hill, the game features a John Q. Public protagonist, a 32-year old novelist by the name of Harry Mason. As Harry, you must search the town of Silent Hill for your missing daughter Cheryl... among other things. Unlike Resident Evil, Silent Hill is a true horror to behold, brimming with creativity, visceral disgust, and surreal imagery that will last with you long after you shut the game off. You'll see less "Boo!" horror as opposed to suspensful, drawn-out, mind game terror, to the point where even though you know what's around that dark corner and you're ready for it, you fear it anyway.
Silent Hill is a resort town of waning popularity that thrives on the tourism industry. Harry and Cheryl plan to vacation there in the summer, when just outside of the town Harry crashes his Jeep after nearly hitting what appears to be a young woman crossing the street. When he awakens, Cheryl is gone, the summer atmosphere has somehow been replaced by overcast fog, and snow. Tracking Cheryl, he quickly is exposed to the horrible dark side of Silent Hill, where normal surroundings are replaced with bloody, rusty and gory counterparts, where crucified bodies decorate the walls and the streets are mere chain fences placed over bottomless pits. It is a hell which he will be forced to traverse many times in his hunt for Cheryl, along with the terrible plans of an evil cult and a demon angel's resurrection.
Gameplay
Veterans of Resident Evil will notice a few differences and many similarities. Harry moves much like any RE character, insofar as turning and firing your weapons. Firing? Well, not all of your weapons will do so. You control three different guns in the game, the standard handgun, the shotgun, and the hunting rifle. You will also make use of many melee weapons, such as a kitchen knife, steel pipe, and the fun emergency hammer. Obviously the guns are best used on enemies in the distance, however, ammo for them is scarce. One neat feature that the handgun and shotgun allow is the ability to aim, and fire, while you walk. Reversing while firing is a good way to avoid taking hits. Just be careful about what may be behind you...
A neat feature in this game is also the most useful: The radio. In the beginning of the game you will pick up this most useful device that will help you gauge the proximity of enemies to you, via white noise and static. This tool is your best friend in the game, and while you have the option to turn it off, you must have balls of steel to do so.
The other useful item you make use of is the pocket flashlight. Many places in Silent Hill are enveloped in total darkness, and the flashlight is the only way you will be able to see in it. You can also turn it on and off at will, though there is a reason to do so for the light: It attracts monsters like a magnet. Turning the light off makes it possible to sneak past an enemy without being detected... just be sure not to brush them in passing, lest they be alerted anyhow.
And, thankfully unlike Resident Evil, you have both an unlimited inventory capacity, and you can save anywhere you find a notepad, without having to collect items to do so.
Graphics
This is the low-point of the game. Unfortunately the game was simply too ambitious for the aging PlayStation, and it shows. The framerate is pretty laggy and the graphics are pixelated. There is loads of detail however, and you have an entire town to see. Silent Hill 2 on PS2 and XBox show what the programmers definitely were trying for, a game of this size with beautiful graphics and smooth framerate.
Objects are detailed pretty nicely, though they tend to be blocky as the game pushes the PlayStation's polygon power to it's limits. Enemy designs are nice, you have the pterodactyls and the skinned dogs which look okay, and then you have the evil nurses and doctors of Alchemilla Hospital which look better, and then you have the most terrifying monster in any game, the demon children. These monsters are small children with stubby legs and evil smiles on their faces, they cry and giggle when they see you... and they brandish knives. They also like to use group tactics, as do many monsters in this game. It's not the monsters though, that inspire the true visual effect of Silent Hill, however. It's the enviroments, especially when the dark Silent Hill takes over. The snow changes to rain, whatever maps you have are erased, and enemies become far deadlier in this evil doppelganger of Silent Hill, and it is home to some of the most terrible imagery ever seen in a video game.
The FMV in the game is also very well done, definitely the best of it's day, and is even more impressive when you consider it was all done by a single person!
Sound
The game opens with a song played with a mandolin and distortion guitar, it is very similar to the theme of Twin Peaks. the David Lynch television show that shares a few more subtle similarities to the game. The opening title is shared with FMV clips from the game (some of which you'll never see in the game).
And that's about half of the music you'll hear in the entire game.
Silent Hill does not feature much music at all. In the lighter portions of the game you'll hear nothing but lonely wind and the sounds of your own feet (and, of course, the static of the radio). When Dark Silent Hill comes out however, you're subjected to a bevy of disturbing ambience, mechanical sounds played in rythym, hydraulics, things of that nature. It does not do justice to explain in words, but the ambient noise you hear in DSH will provide you with whatever terror your eyes do not provide. And on top of that, you'll learn to cringe when the radio starts to sound, because it means trouble is nearby.
In various cutscenes and events you will hear actual music, which tends to be pieces much like the opening theme, using the shimmering guitar and piano. There is very little musical track in the game, but it is all appropriate, and well done.
Longetivity
An experienced player can likely tackle this game in 9-10 hours. Despite the rather short gameplay time, there are a whopping five endings you can get in the game, four of them based upon your actions in two particular parts of the game, and a secret fifth ending based on using a special item in certain areas. Certain endings also net you secret items for future playthroughs, so it's worth checking out all five.
Pros
+Excellent storyline
+Definitely more deserving of the title "survival horror" than any other game
+Better gameplay and controls than most in the genre
Cons
-Average graphics
-Framerate is choppy and uneven at times
Final Word
This game, in my opinion, is better than any other in it's genre. If it doesn't outright scare you, it WILL disturb you, and if you like games of this ilk, you'll enjoy every minute of it. Sometimes some of the puzzles and tasks seem strange, but in the insane town of Silent Hill, everything is done for a reason. The storyline takes a little understanding, but it's definitely one of the best in the genre. Overall, this game is a true classic and one of the PlayStation's truly great games.
The solitary Castlevania entry on the PlayStation is arguably the greatest in the series. In the previous game, Dracula X, the legendary vampire hunter Richter Belmont defeated Dracula in a fierce battle of power and will, which you have the fun of being able to play. After his great triumph, Richter and his sister-in-law Maria Renard, whose rescue was an objective in Dracula X, return to live in peace, now that the scourge of Dracula is gone... or is it? Four years later, Richter mysteriously vanishes. As Maria tracks him, she suddenly sees the legendary castle of Dracula appear again in front of her... but it is only supposed to appear once every 100 years, and yet here it is again, only four years later. Symphony of the Night features, instead of a Belmont lead character as in prior games, the son of Dracula himself, Alucard. With a markedly different look than his previous appearance (Alucard was one of the three support characters in Castlevania III, and looked like a traditional movie vampire as opposed to his current lithe body and long, silver hair), Alucard awakens from the sentence of eternal sleep he levied upon himself after defeating his father in the third game, for he senses the presence of Dracula once again. Armed to the teeth with some great weapons and armor, he storms the legendary Castlevania to investigate the appearance of the castle and put his father down again if need be.
Gameplay
Harkening back to the series' roots, SotN is a beatiful 2D sidescroller, set in a gigantic castle with nearly 2000 rooms in total. The game uses RPG stats to measure health, magic, gold, etc. Alucard can equip literally hundreds of different items to aid his quest, some purchased from the egnimatic Librarian, others found in secret crevices or from defeating enemies. He can also equip two items in his hands, one in each, which makes it easier to plan for dangerous encounters. Will you keep a shield in one hand for defense, or will you equip a sword for power and a knife for speed? There are tons of combinations, and finding the perfect one is part of the fun. With regard to combat, killing enemies nets you experience points, which ultimately raise your levels and stats. There are also many hidden potions which raise your HP and your MP scattered everywhere.
Alucard will also be able to cast various spells by performing certain button combinations. You can learn them by buying the required scrolls from the librarian... though that is not necessary if you already know the sequence. I personally found the magic to be a rather useless feature, with the exception of the neat Soul Steal spell, none of them really have an effect worth all the finger-dancing.
Last, there are a varied assortment of special items you will find on your quest, which give you various abilities, such as a double-jump, super-jump, and seeing your enemies' damage done when you strike. There are three special Soul orbs that allow you to shift your form into a bat, wolf, or mist, as well as various orbs that add abilities to those forms. These are the most important, as you must find them all to proceed at one point or another. Finally, there are the Familiars, friendly monsters that will follow you and aid you in various ways. Faerie will use healing items on you when your health wanes. The little demon can hit some switches you can't reach. The Bat is a good wingman for you when you become a bat yourself. The Ghost performs Soul Steal on nearby enemies, damaging them and healing you a bit. And finally, the Sword Familiar, the most useful, attacks enemies nearby, and when it reaches a certain level, can actually be wielded as a weapon itself! My only issue with the gameplay is that the bosses are just insultingly easy, and that's pretty disappointing. Fortunately, there is still ample challenge in actually getting to them.
The true fun of the game is finding every secret passage and room, and there are plenty of them. Of course, if you are diligent in finding these secrets, you will be able to find the alternate castle... a complete (and far more difficult) inversion of the real castle, which makes for an entirely new game after you clear the first! But it takes some careful searching to find!
Graphics
As far as 2D graphics go, they don't get better than this on PlayStation. Lush, colorful and large sprites dominate the action and are beatifully animated. Some boss monsters are simply gargantuan, one being FOUR TIMES the size of the screen! The backgrounds are similarly beautiful and extremely diverse and detailed, which makes for a very pleasing experience. The single nagging issue is slowdown when the screen gets crowded, but it's infrequent and you really won't care.
Sound
A truly great aural experience is an accurate description of the soundtrack in this game. Impressive tracks ranging from stunning tocattas, to baroque, to some more modern rock guitar, to orchestral, this game has it all. Sound effects are similarly decent. Where it goes wrong is the voice acting. With Metal Gear Solid still a year away from revolutionizing voice-acting in videogames, SotN unfortunately follows the times by having some truly apalling voicing, and worse still, there s a strange echo to it that makes it even harder to understand.
Longetivity
The game has four endings, but if you're good you can really experience all four in one playthrough. The endings you get are determined by the percentage of the game you complete, though there is no real reward for getting good endings... except for one. Getting one of the good endings unlocks Richter as a playable character! Now you can use him beyond the opening sequence, and the game is totally different with him. He cannot use items but he has his awesome whip and many of Alucard's special moves right from the start. It's really just a sidequest however, for there is no story attached to Richter and he cannot go in some places.
Final Word
This game is quite rare, but a good find if you're looking for perhaps the single best 2D Platformer on the PlayStation.
Kirby's Air Ride seems to be strongly influenced by Mario Kart and F-Zero, which can only be viewed as a good thing. Pikmin 2 looks similar in style and graphics to the first game.
Since the idea of posting news in a seperate area hasn't worked well yet, I set the main page to display topics out of Tendo City instead of just the News area. There are some blank items there, because for whatever reason it won't display items that were posted before the forum was marked to be displayed. It's no big deal though, as all topics after this one will display, no problem.
So now we'll have our frontpage news without as much hassle, I hope. This is only a testing period to see how it works out.
Quote:Shigeru Miyamoto and Eiji Aonuma of Nintendo Co Ltd. divulged in an interview with Dutch game jouralists that an entirely new Zelda is being worked on for the Game Boy Advance. While the topic of conversation was mostly The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for GameCube, Miyamoto gave small preliminary details on the next Zelda adventure for handheld. Capcom will handle the development on the title. The company also developed the Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages and the new A Link To The Past under the supervision of Nintendo. This would be the first truly new Zelda game for GBA, and work started on the title in 2001. Miyamoto ended saying "We have many new games for you at E3!"
Nintendo's been handing out a lot of their franchises lately, but Capcom did a good job with Oracle/Ages so we can expect that the next Zelda title will be pretty good.
Quote:Matrix Semiconductor usually creates commercial 3D integrated circuits. Saying that they recognize Nintendo's "dominant" position in electronic entertainment, they state how fortunate they are to have them as investors. Nintendo has interest in Matrix's "Matrix 3-D Memory" for use in portable electronics. It helps in the programming, flexibility, and cost of games such as those for the GBA.
"The portable and mobile device markets are expanding rapidly. Matrix's cost and density advantages over existing technologies support the memory requirements of our portable video game machine, Game Boy Advance," says Yasuhiro Minagawa, Manager of Public Relations Section at Nintendo's headquarters in Japan. "We believe Matrix's technology will help us to make our exciting game titles more efficiently."
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--Feb. 24, 2003--Matrix Semiconductor -- the first company to commercialize low-cost, high-density 3-D integrated circuits -- today announced that Nintendo has invested $15 million in the Company. This financing brings the total raised by Matrix to $95 million.
"Matrix has always focused on securing relationships with the world's leading consumer electronics companies. These relationships provide countless benefits to the Company in addition to dollars," says Dan Steere, Vice President of Marketing for Matrix Semiconductor. "We recognize Nintendo's dominant position in electronic entertainment and feel very fortunate to have them as an investor in Matrix."
Matrix's first product -- Matrix 3-D Memory -- is a low-cost, high-density, non-volatile memory technology specifically designed for use in portable electronics. For developers of content such as games, Matrix 3-D Memory is field programmable, enabling programming flexibility and greatly reducing inventory complexity and costs.
Nintendo will probably inplement these semiconductors in the succesor to the GBA/GBA-SP.