|
News
Game Reviews
Hardware Reviews
Cheats
Features
Editor's Choice
Beyond the Box
Forums
Newsletter
Contests
Links
True Crime Hardcore
MySpace Bear
LOL Center
The Animation Blog
|
 |
News: Tom Morello stars in Guitar Hero III
Activision has announced that Tom Morello, from Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, will guest star as a boss character in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Click here to read the article.
|
 |
Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit
Humankind has seen unprecedented advancements in technology, hallmarked by the discovery of a new energy source. A new world capital is constructed called Oliver Port. The world's smartest minds make Oliver Port their first choice for scientific research. Meanwhile, the corporation known as LugnalCorp develops a new ARK, Artificial Reflexive Kineticoid, using the new energy source. In a few short years the demand for ARKs skyrockets and they become the new standard for industrial operations. Driven by their greed for money, LugnalCorp rushes productions for ARKs without sufficient testing until a malfunction causes them to turn on their human operators with deadly results. The ARKs are out of control and a group of elite pilots are assembled to take on the ARKs using a group of Mech Hunter units known as the Murakumo. This is where the game begins, you must save Oliver Port from destruction. Pursue, intercept, and destroy the renegade ARKs!
The controls in Murakumo are as follows:
Left Thumbstick = Ascend, Descend, Left, Right
Left Trigger = Back Boost
Right Trigger = Boost
A = Main Weapon
B = EX Weapon
Y = Toggle View
This calls for easy control that you should get used to in a few minutes. The boosts make perfect sense with the triggers and the weapons assigned to A and B are easy to use. Nothing complicated here. But you'd better get used to them because you'll be blazing through buildings and obstacles at incredible speeds, one wrong turn and you'll slam into an object which takes away energy from your Mech.
In terms of fun and overall value, Murakumo isn't the next Halo. When I first heard of this game I was really exited. It was a different kind of Mech game. Flying Mechs at blazing speed, going through buildings and chasing down enemies seemed like an awesome concept but I didn't think that the whole game would be just that. Every level is nothing more than a chase. Pursue an enemy mech and destroy it... level after level. This isn't fun! And another thing, the levels are quite easy... I passed 4 levels in 14 minutes. This calls for a short game that you'll pass, if you don't get mad that you're doing the same thing over and over, in a very short time. Truly dissapointing.
Visually, Murakumo shines in some places and completely sucks in others. The levels with hundreds if not thousands of buildings are the prettiest in my opinion. Nothing like speeding through buildings at top speed firing off your missiles. But sadly, not all levels are as nice as the building levels. Some tend to be quite bare with just water and a few blotches of land. It says Only On Xbox on the cover so you would think they used all the power and tricks the Xbox has to offer like pixel-shading or bump-mapping but sadly this game looks like an average PlayStation 2 game. A real dissapointment. The best of the visual side of Murakumo are the mechs. They are nicely designed and completely unique with good detail. The closest designs that resemble them are the mechs in Zone of the Enders.
Sound effects in Murakumo aren'r going to win any awards... well one, "Worst Game Audio." Although I think it wouldn't win that one, it comes close. For a Mech game, you would think that the sound would be up there with the sound quality in Mech Assault but it isn't. Gun fire and explosions are dull. They get the job done but this isn't enough. A note to all developers who send their games out for publishing with bad sound: Xbox has a seperate processor just for audio, use it! Voice acting is what we have come to expect from Japanese games that come to the USA. Funny and over-reacted.
Overall, Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit ends up being a game that will be discounted sooner than you can say Bargain Bin. Its a real shame becuase this game had true potential. If the developers would have taken their time and crafted a good game, we could have had the next Mech Assault. Instead, we're left with a mediocre game the leaves a lot to be desired. You'll have some fun, for and hour or so, but it all goes downhill after a few plays.
Report Card:
Gameplay = 5.5
Graphics = 6.5
Audio = 6
Replay Value = 5
Overall: 6/10
Click here for the Murakumo screenshots gallery!
|
|
|
|
