Inbox: Fallout Trilogy

Inbox features items that I have recently purchased or received.

Black Isle Studios, back while they were still around, were responsible for more than a small number of my favorite RPGs back when they were still around, mostly revolving around their Dungeons & Dragons license. However, the development studio was responsible for another groundbreaking series that I had never actually played. In fact, being so far removed from when the games were released, I had almost entirely forgotten that Fallout had existed, until Fallout 3, the license having changed hands from Interplay to Bethesda and went from its isometric roots into a first person adventure RPG.

However, one thing didn't change about Fallout when the third numerical iteration was released: widespread acclaim. Granted, upon looking at the game, it seems like Bethesda just wrapped up their Elder Scrolls: Oblivion game in Fallout's post-apocalyptic setting. But it seems to have gone over well with game critics and general populace alike. That might be exciting had I any experience with Bethesda's other works, but Bethesda is not why I'm interested in Fallout, Black Isle is.

The setting is interesting and the game seems mature, in that actions have consequences and weight attached to them. And, with the return of Interplay, they wonderfully bundled up their two Fallout Games, plus the separately developed Fallout: Tactics into a compilation and then sold it for cheap. Of course, Gamestop had it on sale for even cheaper, thanks to a limited time sale, so I couldn't resist. I'm looking forward (?) to stepping into this critically acclaimed wasteland.

As far as a collection goes, it's pretty simply the Interplay-age Fallout games, updated to run on modern (Windows Vista) systems and not much more. Depending on the price you can find it at, it can be a pretty good deal, although gamers might consider digital distribution like gog.com for a more up to date port. 7/10.

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OOPs: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

OOPs features games that I wish I had purchased or played before they went out of print.

While I've played many of the games in the Mario series there are a few that I've missed along the way. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is one of them. Granted, it can be argued that it is not necessarily a core Mario game because its mechanics and hero are very different from the core Mario series. Rather than controlling the plumber, in this game, he is merely a baby and you control a yoshi instead. While still a platformer like its namesake, so much of the game works differently that you really could call it a different animal.

I remember watching this game at my friend's house when I was but a young lad and being surprised by its unique visual style and also by the different gameplay mechanics. Yoshi can, like in the original Super Mario World, swallow his enemies and turn them into eggs, but this time, he holds onto those eggs and can aim them at his enemies with many degrees of freedom. I did want to play it at the time, but when you're that young, there are only so many games you can buy and I was much more interested in RPGs, so that's where my money went.

Time has passed and after replaying a number of classic platformers, including others in the Mario series, I realized that I actually wanted to play this game too. Unfortunately, it's for the SNES and a Wii Virtual Console version has not been made available and, so, to play it, I would have to hook up my old SNES and purchase a working used copy of the game, which, goes for over $20 these days. So, instead, I'll wait until the game does eventually show up on the Virtual Console and download/play it then. I hope it does make a showing on the Virtual Console.

Inbox:Hardware: The Beatles: Rock Band - Wireless Rickenbacker 325 Guitar Controller

Inbox features items that I have recently purchased or received.

Hardware covers the technology of game playing, whether PC, consoles or figurines on a board.

Yes, I had The Beatles: Rock Band that came with wireless drum and guitar controllers, but that still left me short one guitar controller for the full band. Or even if we wanted to play with a pair of guitars (Harrison and Lennon) or a guitar and a bass (Harrison or Lennon with McCartney). So, wanted to maximize multiplayer options, I decided to buy a guitar controller for Rock Band. I figured, since I already had Beatles themed instruments, I might as well make sure that the next one matches. Of course, when I started looking, the limited edition controllers were out of stock everywhere, skyrocketing the prices up to more than 200%.

Eventually, they released more Rickenbacker 325's, but not Grestch Duo Jets, so I grabbed one of those. Comparing to pictures of actual Rickenbacker 325, it definitely does a good job of matching many of the details, even though it still looks more like a toy. Still, for a guitar controller, it's fairly classy, even if it's not as much of a premium product as the higher end guitar controllers and seems to be built fairly sturdily. We've played around on it a lot since we got it and we've never had a problem with it. A good piece of gear. 8/10.

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Progress Report: The Beatles: Rock Band

Progress Report provides ongoing impressions of games as I play them.

I previously wrote about my initial experiences with The Beatles: Rock Band's story modes and found the experience enjoyable, especially when playing through with friends. It was at our own pace (and we set it pretty fast) and it takes you along the journey of the Beatles, complete with fun little movies that signify the different periods of the Beatles' career.

Over the next couple months, I got to complete the challenge mode, which, like the Story Mode, divides sets of songs by the period of the Beatles' career. However, the challenge mode is less about telling the Beatles' story and more about... challenge. Essentially, it creates non-stop song sets of each period where you get one composite score for the whole set, as opposed to getting to start over with each song. This also means that if you are failing or flailing on one song and are on the precipice, you remain in trouble when you start the next song. It makes things challenging, certainly and also because you're playing 5-7 full length Beatles songs, which means at least 15 minutes of consecutive playing/singing.

Another part of the game I checked out was the online store, where I purchased the full albums of Abbey Road (woohoo! medleys!) and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. This is how they get me to buy each album twice. Anyway, the store on the PS3 is a little clumsily set up, having to buy inside the game, but then leave the game to install it. As of right now, three full albums, the previously mentioned, plus Rubber Soul, are available, plus the standalone song "All You Need Is Love". There hasn't been a new album release in a little bit, so I'm not sure if there will be any more, but I hope so. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to downloading Rubber Soul when my budget is ready for it.

The most recent thing I've been messing with in the game is the Tutorial section, which includes a vocal harmony trainer and a drum trainer. I haven't had any opportunity to do the harmony trainer, but, having fared poorly on drums, except on easy mode so far, I decided that I'd give the drum trainer a shot. First of all, I think that it's a lift from the Rock Band 2 drum trainer, so all the basics are the same, but there's an extra mode called "Beatles Beats" which focus on Ringo's own signature rhythms.

After looking at Beatles Beats, I realized that there's no way I'm going to be able to start there and decided to go to the regular drum trainer. Honestly, it really does try to teach you the basics of rhythms, and most importantly, carrying independent rhythms on different limbs. It's not a substitute for actual drum lessons and the Rock Band kit is no real drum set, but it still teaches you the basics of rock rhythms. That said, I also discovered that although I can finally get all the beats working on different limbs, I'm just not a very fast drummer and I can't seem to hit the 8th notes consistently at the fastest tempos (180+). There go my dreams of playing drums on expert. But, considering how much I did grow in keeping rhythm, I'd say it's a pretty neat feature.

Next up: more drum training, some vocal training and then kicking the tires on the online multiplayer features.

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